County looking at loan options for road work

The Franklin County Commission voted Monday to seek interest rates on a $150,000 loan that would enable the highway department to complete work on a couple of county roads.

District 3 Commissioner Greg Smith said he believed the work on Franklin 49 and Old Nauvoo Road needs to be completed this summer while working conditions are favorable.

He suggested the commission apply for a $150,000 loan to be paid back in six months. Smith said the county could use funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency who is set to reimburse the county for costs involved in last year’s tornado recovery efforts.

County Administrator Crista Madden, however, said that some counties are still waiting to receive FEMA funds from disasters that occurred as far back as 2009.

“They are only going to get worse,” Smith said, referring to the roads.

One of the most pressing concerns commissioners have is the widening of Franklin 49.

The commission approved the hiring of four temporary workers Monday that will allow the highway department to move some crews around this summer and still be able to keep up with existing work orders.

“We’re keeping up with work orders pretty well now, but if you stop for a couple of months, they’re going to come back to 200 work orders backed up,” county engineer David Palmer said.

Palmer recommended the work on roads such as 49 be completed by contractors who have suitable equipment for the type of work needed.

Palmer estimated that it would take about $80,000 to widen Franklin 49. The balance of any loan would be used to pay for work on Franklin 49 and Old Nauvoo Road as well as finishing striping several other county roads.

“We need to go ahead and do something about this,” Smith said. “You can’t just wait around.”