Commission weighs bigger signs, truck detours and beaver-dam damage after storm

Commissioners raised two interconnected issues: recurring beaver dams that have washed out approaches and caused access problems, and heavy or out-of-area trucks using local roads and causing damage.

Unidentified Speaker 4 described the beaver problem: crews had to build a temporary access road and haul rock—"We get had about 7 loads of rock just to build a road across there to get to it"—to remove dams under Shed Road and other locations. He said the dams often rebuilt themselves and noted the county may need property-owner cooperation or to consider contractor trapping, but added that prior trapping was expensive.

Separately, commissioners and staff discussed truck drivers bypassing a locked gate and using local gravel roads and cul-de-sacs. Unidentified Speaker 4 said he had talked with the sheriff’s office and with factories but that many drivers are from out of town and follow GPS routing. The commission decided to replace small signs with larger 24-by-24 signs and add pictographs to communicate "No trucks," hoping clearer signage will reduce GPS-driven detours.

The group also reviewed recent 24-hour traffic counts gathered by staff: Asbury 1,946 vehicles; Gowen 1,806; Miller's Crossroads (ADC side) roughly 2,762; Highway 41 at one count 2,187. Unidentified Speaker 4 noted a 2,000 vehicles-per-day threshold can require a different pavement mix when roads are upgraded with state help; he said those counts would be considered when prioritizing road work.

No enforcement action was voted on; the commission directed staff to install larger signs and continue outreach to local facilities and the sheriff’s office, and to bring updated counts and a paving priority list to a future meeting.