| Equipment from Nielson’s Construction work to bring the road up to grade along the Moore Cut-off. |
Commissioner Gary Kofford gave an update on road projects in Emery County at the recent commission meeting. The Moore cut-off road is progressing. Work is being done on the stretch in the middle between the two finished (not asphalted) phases of the project. Nielson Construction set the new box culvert in the dip wash where water sometimes rushed across the road several feet deep during a rain storm. This new culvert will alleviate that problem. The culvert came in pieces and each piece fit together to form the final product.
Phase 7 of the project which is from the T in the road at Moore to SR-10 is now in the design phase. A bid for this will be out in June-July. This is a $5-6 million phase of the entire project. The construction work will be done next winter and the construction and oiling of this phase is all one bid. By December of 2009 the entire Moore Road looks to be complete. Eighteen miles of asphalt to cover phases one-four will be completely finished by Oct. 15 of this year.
“The Moore road has been an economic boom to the county. It has kept local contractors busy. At project completion it is an estimated $22 million project. “I would like to thank Rep. Jim Matheson for his help in acquiring the needed money for this project,” said Commissioner Kofford. Kofford explained the first two phases were accomplished with UDOT STIP monies and were $2 million projects for a total of $4 million on the first two phases. The earmarked money from the federal highway fund was $15.5 million. Phases three and four are under construction now and will cost $5.5-6 million. Phase six and seven will be the asphalt phase of all previous phases with completion by Oct. 15. This project is $4.5 million roughly.The final phase is from the T intersection in Moore to SR-10, this final project will be complete by December 2009, approximately four miles with asphalt. Commissioner Kofford said they are meeting with the US Forest Service on the road to Reeder Creek. The forest service has held the county up on that project and it looks like it will be cleared now. If the county can find the money they will start on that road this year.
Commissioner Kofford said the Lila Canyon road project is still moving and the county is working with UtahAmerican Energy, Inc. on a contract on how payments will be made for the improvements to the Lila Canyon Road. The right-of-ways have been procured for the project and some design work has been done.
The intersection on US-6 to Lila Canyon will require a four-lane road for a mile or so and will be an extensive intersection. UtahAmerican Energy is intent on making it happen and will get going in the next six weeks. The design on the road should be done by July, with the bid in the fall and road construction will begin next winter for the five miles of road approaching Lila Canyon plus the intersection.
Commissioner Kofford explained that state parks access money had been used with a 50 percent match by the county for work on the Goblin Valley Road. From Highway 24 to Goblin Valley there is 4-4.5 miles left to be completed. When the $2 million is put together, it will finish all but a mile of that road. But, there is no money to finish that mile. Commissioner Kofford said this state parks access fund went away last year in the legislature and UDOT might not get funded for this state parks access fund. Work is underway to lobby the legislature to fund this state parks access. Commissioner Kofford encouraged everyone as they talk to the state legislators to tell them we need the park access fund returned. “We need help to finish that road,” said Commissioner Kofford.
| The Moore Road undergoes reconstruction. |
He also reported work has slowed down on the Green River Senior Citizen Center because of the cold weather, but it hasn’t stopped completely.
This is a $5-6 million phase of the entire project. The construction work will be done next winter and the construction and oiling of this phase is all one bid. By December of 2009 the entire Moore Road looks to be complete. Eighteen miles of asphalt to cover phases one-four will be completely finished by Oct. 15 of this year.
“The Moore road has been an economic boom to the county. It has kept local contractors busy. At project completion it is an estimated $22 million project. “I would like to thank Rep. Jim Matheson for his help in acquiring the needed money for this project,” said Commissioner Kofford. Kofford explained the first two phases were accomplished with UDOT STIP monies and were $2 million projects for a total of $4 million on the first two phases. The earmarked money from the federal highway fund was $15.5 million. Phases three and four are under construction now and will cost $5.5-6 million. Phase six and seven will be the asphalt phase of all previous phases with completion by Oct. 15. This project is $4.5 million roughly. The final phase is from the T intersection in Moore to SR-10, this final project will be complete by December 2009, approximately four miles with asphalt.
Commissioner Kofford said they are meeting with the US Forest Service on the road to Reeder Creek. The forest service has held the county up on that project and it looks like it will be cleared now. If the county can find the money they will start on that road this year.
Commissioner Kofford said the Lila Canyon road project is still moving and the county is working with UtahAmerican Energy, Inc. on a contract on how payments will be made for the improvements to the Lila Canyon Road. The rights-of-way have been procured for the project and some design work has been done.
The intersection on US-6 to Lila Canyon will require a four-lane road for a mile or so and will be an extensive intersection. UtahAmerican Energy is intent on making it happen and will get going in the next six weeks. The design on the road should be done by July, with the bid in the fall and road construction will begin next winter for the five miles of road approaching Lila Canyon plus the intersection.
Commissioner Kofford explained that state parks access money had been used with a 50 percent match by the county for work on the Goblin Valley Road. From Highway 24 to Goblin Valley there is 4-4.5 miles left to be completed. When the $2 million is put together, it will finish all but a mile of that road. But, there is no money to finish that mile. Commissioner Kofford said this state parks access fund went away last year in the legislature and UDOT might not get funded for this state parks access fund. Work is underway to lobby the legislature to fund this state parks access. Commissioner Kofford encouraged everyone as they talk to the state legislators to tell them we need the park access fund returned. “We need help to finish that road,” said Commissioner Kofford.
He also reported work has slowed down on the Green River Senior Citizen Center because of the cold weather, but it hasn’t stopped completely.