| Motorists follow the green signal to go on the one lane section of Carbonville Road. The signals and construction on a bridge began last week. |
While the weather might be frightful for some, construction crews have already begun working on the scheduled road projects that the county has lined up for 2008.
Last week Gerber Construction set up one lane only traffic lights on Carbonville Road and began to tear out one of two bridges that will be replaced on Carbon’s busiest highway.
The bridge under construction at present is the one over the Carbonville wash while the other, which will be started later, over the Carbon Canal.
Both will be replaced to accommodate three lanes of traffic for the rest of the project that will be completed within the next year. The bridge presently under construction is supposed to be completed by April 1. The replacement of the two bridges will cost $507,000 with about half the money coming from the Recreation and Transportation Special Service District (RTSSD) and half from a Utah Permanent Community Impact Board (CIB) grant and loan.
Another major project in the area slated for this spring and summer is the reconstruction of 1500 West, which leads to Prazen Lane and the ballpark Subdivision. This area has been the subject of some controversial Carbon County commission meetings during the last couple of years because of traffic access and flow. This project is also funded by both the RTSSD and CIB.
The project will encompass pavement reconstruction, road widening, installing culverts, piping and storm drainage systems. The road has been a rural road for many years and with the construction of new housing and potential building in the area the county decided that the rebuild was necessary. The special service district is contributing $150,000 while the CIB is providing $440,000 with half of that in grant money and the rest on a zero percent interest loan.
Two projects in Spring Glen are set for this construction this year as well.
The first project will be the reconstruction of 2000 West. That road is a major thoroughfare and the primary thrust of the work is to address some perennial flooding problems that have taken place there. The road will be widened and will have curb and gutter installed along with storm drains. That project will start sometime this spring. The total cost for this project will be $1,750,000 with the RTSSD putting in $500,000 while the CIB is providing a grant and 0 percent loan for the rest.
The other project involves cleaning and improving drainage in Haycock Wash. At present there is a culvert in the wash that is nearly filled with silt and debris and that will be rehabilitated. This project is funded by the county and will cost $30,000.
Another bridge project that will be taking place is to replace a bridge on North Coal Creek Loop Road. That bridge was originally built on top of old railroad cars and now those cars are starting to rust out and the bridge is settling. The old structure will be replaced with a prefabricated bridge that has a concrete deck and steel reinforced concrete footings. The $98,000 cost will be fully funded by the county.
Another road that will get attention is the North Fairgrounds Road. This project has a safety emphasis to protect drivers who motor along this stretch of road which borders the top of the cliff above the Price River. The plan is to install guardrails and to construct some retaining walls on some narrow parts of the road to stop further erosion. Most of the project is being funded by a Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) grant for $320,540. The rest of the money for the work is being provided by the county in a match for $20,460.
A project in the same vicinity will also be done this year. That project will be the redesign and rebuilding of the Carbon County Fairgrounds entrance and intersection. Improvements will include widening, installing some culverts for better drainage and a change in the radius of the curvature. The original road into the fairgrounds will be obliterated. The county will fund this project to the tune of $153,000.
In another area of the county, Farnum Road, a blind curve will be eliminated along with a wash/railroad crossing that will be replaced with a safer crossing. Part of the old road that is being cut off will also be wiped out. This project is being entirely funded by a UDOT grant to the tune of $320,070.
In Scofield bridge work will be done on three structures. The first will be to replace a 10 foot diameter culvert on Clear Creek under Myrtle Street. According to county officials the original bridge was installed without footings and is under duress. In addition two old culverts on Union and Chestnut Streets will also be replaced. Total cost for these improvements will be $700,000 and it is being entirely funded by a CIB grant.
In the Consumers area the county will complete a project to upgrade Consumers Road from the Wildcat Loadout to the Horizon mine to an industrial grade road to carry heavy coal trucks. In addition an ATV trail will parallel the road and a restroom will be placed along the route. The cost for this 8.9 mile improvement will be $6,000,000 with all of that money coming from the CIB with one half of that being a grant and the other half a 25 year 0 percent interest loan.
sSome of the road projects the county is involved with have already started or are well along the way. Others are just beginning, but most of them will be completed within this calendar year.