WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS HEAR 2020 ROAD REPORT

  

Washington County Commissioners received an update on the status of roads across the county at their meeting today (Tuesday).

Commissioners heard from County Engineer Ross McCall, who presented the 2020 annual road report for the county, providing an inventory of all county roads and road conditions through 18 months of data collection.

According to McCall, 68 percent of the paved county roads included in the report were measured as a 3, or fair, on a scale of 1-5, 1 being considered failed condition and 5 being excellent.  McCall said 14 percent of roads are currently considered a 4 or 5, meaning good or excellent, while 18 percent are considered a 1 or 2, being failed or poor.

McCall said the county has spent significant resources on improving poor road conditions, but that process has turned into an ongoing cycle.

 

In the future, McCall said the county’s strategy will change in order to place a greater emphasis on keeping fair roads in good condition.

 

McCall said the report found that the roads with better conditions were typically located closer to Brenham and around the outskirts of the city.  He said the report shows that over the years, the county has “neglected” the roads further out by the county lines.

McCall also noted that of the 1,800 road signs maintained by the county, roughly 8 percent have lost reflectivity.  He said the signs are budgeted to be replaced over the coming year.

McCall said the report will be posted on the county website for the public to view.  Commissioners thanked him and the Road and Bridge Department for compiling the data to create this report, saying it will allow them and the public to keep better tabs on the status of county roads.

Also at today’s meeting, commissioners:

• Tabled public hearings and orders to install No Thru signs on William Penn Road, Hohenwalde School Road and Old Mill Creek Road. The items were tabled due to a word being omitted from the agenda items for the public hearings.
• Rejected amending the lease between Washington County Commissioners Court and Kevin Schniers, President of Plantation Farms, Inc. County Attorney Renee Mueller said Schniers was looking to amend the lease for county-owned land in Tom Green County to add his son onto the contract.  However, as the contract is still active, Mueller advised against doing this during the middle of the lease.
• Approved the group administrative services agreement between Washington County Air EMS Medical Director and Scott and White Clinic. EMS Director Kevin Deramus said this agreement allows Washington County Health Authority Dr. William Loesch to receive payment for being the medical director for ground and air.  Because Dr. Loesch’s medical malpractice is covered through Baylor Scott and White, they collected the checks, but this agreement makes sure the money is released to him.
• Approved advertising for sealed bids for the Washington County EMS hangar facility internal construction completion. The deadline to submit bids is February 1^st at 3 p.m., and bids will be opened at 3:05 p.m. the same day.  A bid will be accepted February 2^nd at 9 a.m.
• Approved formal notice from AMP Texas Pipelines, LLC for natural gas pipeline road bores on Maass Road in Precinct Three and Hohenwalde School Road in Precinct Four.
• Approved formal notice from Suddenlink/Altice USA for road bores for cable television on Fritz Road (two bores), Carey Drive (one bore), West Crosswinds Court (two bores), and East Crosswinds Court (one bore).
• Heard reports from the Sheriff’s Office, EMS, E911, and the Veterans Service Officer.
• Approved accounts payable, including $256,000 divided out among the county’s ten volunteer fire departments. The amount includes annual payments and incentives, along with biannual gas.