Committee approves rout-and-seal and reviews designs for CTH B and multiple structures

The Oneida County Public Works & Solid Waste Committee on Feb. 19 approved a WisDOT Direct Municipal Agreement to rout and seal USH 8 from CTH P to Forest at an estimated cost of $70,000 and reviewed several highway planning items including an RFP for CTH B design and a bundled structure design package.

Highway Commissioner Alex Hegeman told the committee the DMA to crack/rout and seal USH 8 carries an estimated cost of $70,000 and that a motion to approve the agreement, moved by Robb Jensen and seconded by Dan Hess, "carried;" Ted Cushing was excused from the vote.

Hegeman also outlined a request for proposals to design reconstruction of 1.05 miles of CTH B from STH G to USH 45 in 2027, with the goal of avoiding a year‑round 5‑ton weight limit by rebuilding the road to a higher standard. For structures, he said four culverts or small structures rated 4 out of 10 are concentrated within a five‑mile radius and could be bundled in a single design bid; one stream on CTH E requires a mussel survey estimated at $25,000 and the county likely needs an engineer to sign cost estimates for grant applications.

On fleet and maintenance, Hegeman reported that five trucks were currently out of service and recommended a pace of buying two trucks per year because some units are experiencing major issues before the 20‑year mark. He said January revenue and expenses rose but that depreciation is used to fund equipment replacement.

Project updates in the commissioner's report included: the Kemp Street Bridge scheduled for replacement in 2028 (closure approximately four months); the USH 8 Bypass beginning with milling and resurfacing phases and staged roundabout construction at CTH G; resurfacing of USH 45 between Three Lakes and Monico this year; and joint repair on USH 51 in downtown Minocqua starting in April with traffic detours routed via USH 8 and STH 47. Hegeman also said the DOT salt order would be released soon and he expected about a 5 percent price increase based on historical prices.

Why it matters: the items discussed affect county road capacity, heavy‑vehicle routing, short‑term maintenance schedules and near‑term capital budgeting. The committee approved the WisDOT agreement and directed staff to proceed with design procurement and grant‑ready estimates where appropriate.

The committee did not finalize all design contracts at the meeting; staff will issue RFPs and return with consultant proposals and cost estimates for committee review.