Road reopens after 4-month closure

BENTON, Mo. -- Following a four-month closure, a north Scott County road reopened to all traffic Tuesday after a bridge that had been deemed unsafe by the state was replaced.

In January, the Missouri Department of Transportation conducted an inspection of the bridge on Scott County Highway 220, which is located off of State Highway RA in Chaffee and goes to Lake Tywappity. Due to the state deeming it unsafe, the bridge was closed immediately and completely to all traffic in February.

Work was completed by Scott County and overseen by MoDOT's Off-System Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation, or BRO, program. BRO is MoDOT's program that provides funding to counties for replacement or rehabilitation of deficient bridges.

Scott County Second District Commissioner Donnie Kiefer said the closure affected 15 residences located near the bridge. County Highway 216 served as a detour while the bridge was replaced, he said.

Both Kiefer and First District Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn noted the county's highway department blacktop season has not started yet because the place where the county purchases the asphalt is remodeling its plant, which is closed until later this month.

"Thank goodness the roads have been kept up, and we don't have anything -- that I'm aware of -- in need of immediate attention," Ziegenhorn said.

However, there is still plenty of work for the highway department to do besides blacktopping roads.

"What this will allow us to do is catch up on the storms, floods and winds we've had, and we're also able to address pipe issues and place a lot of culverts throughout the county," Kiefer said.

County highway workers have also been able to catch up on mowing, Kiefer said.

"We want it to look nice everywhere, We especially like to make sure the communities are all mowed coming into them for the weekends and celebrations," Ziegenhorn said.

Ziegenhorn noted the commissioners didn't foresee the asphalt plant closing, but the county will have plenty of time to blacktop roads this summer.

In other business, Ziegenhorn noted the county's weekly revenue reports over the past couple weeks have been on the low side, but the reason for that is because expenses are being paid.

"You don't normally have expenses like we've had, but now we should start seeing an increase in the revenue," Ziegenhorn said, adding the county still has $1 million in reserves.

These expenses, for example, included larger, one-time projects such as the implementation of the courthouse security system, jail improvements and the roof work on the fourth and final section of the courthouse, Ziegenhorn said.

"We pay our bills and that's good because that's what you want to do," he said. "If we were ranked like other businesses are ranked for paying bills, we'd be at the top."

Also, the Commission recently reappointed Randy York to a two-year term on the Law Restitution Fund board; and Janet Randolph and Randall Friend to four-year terms on the Riverside Regional Library Board.