Highway official says crews are shifting to spring work as short-term flood closures continue

Jim, a highway department official, told the Franklin County Commission that crews are putting snowplows into storage and preparing brush hogs and cutters for spring maintenance as warmer weather and rains trigger growth.

"We're putting our snowplows pretty much away now, and we're gearing up all of the brush hogs and cutters, getting ready," Jim said, describing routine seasonal transition work.

Jim reported a string of short-term road closures after heavy rains. He cited Robertsville Road and Bend Road as recent examples, saying crews opened a road but had to close it again when water returned by about a foot. He noted the highway department secures floodgates with padlocks but that first responders — fire and ambulance — have permission to cut the chains if necessary.

When asked, "How are we sitting on salt?" by Commissioner (S4), Jim replied, "We're at 100% right now." The official emphasized the county has adequate salt supplies for winter operations.

The report focused on operational readiness and short-term responses to flooding rather than long-term infrastructure changes. No budget figures or specific timelines for reopening affected roads were provided during the report.