HIGHER COSTS COULD AFFECT WASHINGTON COUNTY’S ANNUAL ROAD MAINTENANCE LIST
Rising prices may lead to a change in priority on which Washington County roads are addressed this year.
County Engineer Wesley Stolz told Washington County Commissioners on Tuesday that higher costs for oil, materials and transportation, along with a booming construction market, led to the county only receiving one bid for seal coating for the contract year ending in April 2023. Prices on that bid, which was accepted unanimously by commissioners, are up approximately 50 percent over last year for a standard per-square-yardage application of a one course seal, and up roughly 78 percent for a two course seal.
Stolz asked the court whether it would prefer to stick with the county’s current annual list of roads it plans to work on and pay more, or drop roads from the list to stay within budget.
The lone bidder was H&C Construction Company out of Shiner. Stolz said the price difference of the one course and two course seal coat applications has risen from $1.82 per square yard to $2.73 per square yard, and $3.41 per square yard to $5.99 per square yard, respectively.
Stolz said the current market allows contractors to choose the work they do and the price they perform it at, with many of them opting to take higher-paying private jobs instead of public jobs.
Commissioners agreed to meet individually with Stolz this week to balance out the road list and determine which roads in their precincts need attention soon, and which ones could be pushed to next year.
Well I guess it looks like my road will never get paved. Taxes keep going up and we’re seeing less and less for it.
I am not blaming Mr. Stolz because it was before he took office but if they are just going to put down hot mix over badly damaged roads they can keep all of it. They are throwing tax payer money away!
Has the cost of mowing our county roads gone up as well? I live on north Berlin Road and can tell you the ditches have not been mowed since late last summer.
They don’t mow the ditch until the bluebonnets seed out. State flower.
Funny the bluebonnets out our way must not finish until October. Because that was the one time they shredded all year in 2021.
Bluebonnets are not offered any special protections because they’re the state flower. That’s a common misconception. Look it up.
Agreed. I remember when they used to be mowed a few times a year or more. The past few years we’ve been lucky to see them once, and that’s because I’ve had to call and ask them to come do it.
No I’m sure it’ll be the same cost. Even though labor, fuel, tires, oil and all other parts have went up.