County describes rapid response, culvert replacement after July 4 flooding south of I‑88

County transportation staff told the committee July 21 that a July 4 storm dumped the heaviest rainfall south of the I‑88 corridor, overtopped county roads and forced closures across the south half of the county. "At one point in the night, every county road was shut down south of I‑88 for water overtopping the road," the maintenance lead said, describing long detours for motorists and a multi‑agency response that included the sheriff's office and OEM.

Staff described severe damage on Scott Road where three 48‑inch, 60‑foot culverts were undermined and the westbound lane washed out. Crews deployed jersey walls overnight to protect motorists while inspectors assessed the road. "We determined that we had a major failure of the culvert," staff said, and crews removed the damaged pipe sections and began backfilling and restabilizing the base.

The county used material from its gravel pit to restore road edges and to speed repairs. Staff reported roughly $57,000 in labor, fuel and equipment costs so far and said the gravel used represented about $33,000 in avoided purchase costs because it came from the county stockpile. Material for the new culverts was listed at about $28,000, and staff estimated total cleanup and repair costs — labor, fuel, equipment and gravel — in the range of $100,000 to $150,000, with a best estimate closer to $100,000 pending final accounting. Staff said the vendor expedited culvert deliveries to shorten the schedule.

Committee members asked whether the culvert design failed and whether a different structure, such as a box culvert, might be needed. Staff answered that the original pipes were corrugated steel, that corrugated steel was reinstalled to reopen the road quickly, and that staff will seek TIP funding for engineering to determine whether a larger opening or a box culvert is warranted in the long term. Staff also noted inspection history: records showed the last inspection in 2024 had not indicated a need for replacement.

Staff credited recent equipment purchases and cross‑agency assistance for the rapid response but said two constraints remain: limited indoor storage to keep equipment preloaded for varied events and a shortage of manpower, which delayed other projects. Staff said they are pursuing federal funding to add storage capacity at the county facility.

The committee praised the department's response and voted to move on to other business; staff said the repaired sections would be paved and open within days, ahead of the worst‑case schedule.