Secondary Roads

Secondary Roads

Road Maintenance

Road maintenance activities are generally focused on the 565 miles of granular surfaced roads or the 138 miles of paved surfaces. There are 38 miles of dirt roadways that are classified as Level B, which is a lower standard of service. Excluded from the county system are roads that are located within the corporate limits of any town as well as highways on the State system (i.e. U.S. Hwy 34, U.S. Hwy 63 and 149)

Contractors are generally hired to perform specialized activities on the paved roads such as full width resurfacing or reconstruction, extensive pavement repair, pavement marking and joint sealing. County personnel are responsible for limited pavement repair, shoulder maintenance, mowing and brush control.

Granular surfaced roads are maintained by the regular application of either rock (a/k/a limestone) or gravel by county personnel. Limestone is hauled from various quarries in the area.

Motor grader operators are assigned to specific territories and are responsible for the periodic blading of the granular roads. Given the limited range of these machines, some are housed in remote locations within the county.

Bridge and Culvert Maintenance

County personnel maintains the drainage structures with assistance from contractors for specialized services such as deck overlays and guardrail installation. Bridges are inspected on a two-year cycle and posted whenever the carrying capacity becomes less than forty tons. Agricultural equipment is required to respect those posting with the exception of those units that receive a hardship exemption from the Department.

Snow Removal

During snowstorms, trucks are assigned to the paved roads and motor graders to the granular roads. These criteria are detailed in the Snow and Ice Removal Ordinance.

Driveways and Entrances

Entrances into fields, homes, and businesses are the property owner’s responsibility to build and maintain. A Driveway Entrance Permit is required prior to any construction. Although there is no charge for the permit, the Road Superintendent must meet with the applicant on-site to evaluate sight distances and review construction standards as detailed in the Wapello County Driveway Entrance Policy.

Ditch Cleaning

The county cleans ditches to maintain or improve roadway drainage. Additionally, ditches are used for snow storage. Request for ditch cleaning has developed a lengthy backlog and is prioritized by the need and location. Often, coordination for utility locations can require three days to coordinate: therefore, our operators cannot always respond quickly to requests that have not been scheduled even though they are in the neighborhood. Crews attempt to accommodate requests for dirt removed from the ditch, but if the adjoining property owner asks for the material, it is quickest and easiest to dispose of on-site.

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