Forest Service Road 19 project looking positive

Matt Leonhardt, acting county engineer, and Stephanie May appeared before the Big Horn County Commission on Oct. 1 to discuss engineering and land planning. 

Leonhardt gave an update on the meeting for Forest Service Road 17. The on-site meeting was with representatives from the Forest Service and Federal Highway Administration.  He said they came up with plans for how to deal with drainage issues. “In few spots there will be cuts in the road to get the water to drain away. Other spots they are going to have to bring in quite a bit of fill so we can get a pipe there. Overall, it was pretty positive.” He said a rough plan will be brought back to the county in a few months. 

The commission learned about complaints regarding Rairdan Lane Railroad Crossing near Manderson. The department has received complaints about the roughness of the crossing over the tracks. He was able to meet with the representative from Burlington Northern-Santa Fe (BNSF) Railroad. The representative specifically deals with public projects. “Because it is in the railroad right of way, we have to get a permit from them to do any work in there.” That representative is looking to see if there are any railroad projects in the area that are coming up. If so, the Rairdan project could piggyback off those projects. If not, the county will have to file for a permit to do the work. The plan is to dig out the asphalt and fill in with 9 inches of crush base, top with millings then chip seal the next time Rairdan Lane gets chipped. 

Two utility permits were approved for South End Water Users Service District for Lane 8 and Lane 9. Both are gravel roads. Commissioner Dave Neves asked if there was language in the permits that addresses if repair work needs to be done and if so, is there a time frame for getting the repair done. May said that language on the back of the permit addresses the permit holder must repair and/or do maintenance in a timely manner. 

There was also discussion about repairs needed on a cut for Northwest Water District on Road 11. Leonhardt reported that the patch had been fixed on Sept. 27. County Engineer Willie Bridges contacted the contractor directly about doing the repair as he had not gotten response from the water district. 

Commission Chairman Bruce Jolley asked Leonhardt if he had heard that GP was requesting to put speed bumps on the road. Jolley said GP had contacted the North End Road/Bridge Supervisor Eric Mann. GP would pay for the bumps. May said she had received a call from Mann. Leonhardt said he would check into the request. 

In other business:

• A 24-hour liquor permit was approved for the Hyattville Community Center event on Oct. 19. 

• The commission declined waiving the rental fee for an event at the fairgrounds for the New Hope Humane Society. 

• An email from Basin Pharmacy and Greybull Drug was reviewed. The subject was Medicare prescription drug plans they would no longer accept.