County Road Department

[Lookatmeknow!!]

I really have to state something that I don't understand at all.  I have driven on all kinds of county roads over the years all around here.  To me they are not any different today then they were when I was 16.  When I was a teenager, that is where we learned to drive.  Are they really that bad???  I mean come on.  We have had a pretty snowy winter, a start to a wet spring.  What do people expect???  Some of the city streets are bad, too.  Can't we just be happy with the fact that we have maintained roads???  I am.  I know that my roads are not that good now, but I don't expect them to be.  I just like the fact that I live in the country!!  I like the fact that when it snows that I know that I will have a path to get there, because the county men will be out there to grade them!!  Just be happy with what we have and glad that you live here in America!!!! 

Don't worry BE HAPPY!!!  Peanut, and all the road guys, you do do a good job!!  Just keep plugging away and don't worry what others say.  I have been there and people will grip about anything they can find to grip at!!!

[Varmit]

Don't worry BE HAPPY!!!  Peanut, and all the road guys, you do do a good job!!  Just keep plugging away and don't worry what others say.  I have been there and people will grip about anything they can find to grip at!!!

We darn well better worry about what people say.  We work for them, not the commissioners.  It is the citizens of this county that provide the means for our employment.  We might not like what they have to say but we should listen to their opinions and give thought to wht they have to say.  It would be different if we worked for a private business but we don't.  A fact that, I think, sometimes gets forgotten.

[Lookatmeknow!!]

You missed the point.  I think they should listen to us yes.  But if they listened to every compliant out there they might as well never go home from their job!  They can only do so much!!  I am not sound mean but man, can't there be a happy medium???

[srkruzich]

You missed the point.  I think they should listen to us yes.  But if they listened to every compliant out there they might as well never go home from their job!  They can only do so much!!  I am not sound mean but man, can't there be a happy medium???

I think that where the frustration is coming from from folks is this.  We see the problem areas.  These are areas that are constant.  And when reported their patched, not fixed but patched.  Patching doesn't work for long.   For example, and i know there are many of them elsewhere, but on Rock between 9 & 10 there are two main spots.  THey need to be dug out, big rock brought in, then layered back with soil/larger gravel mix, then layered again once brought back up to grade with a fine crush mix. Meanwhile since these are very much a problme build the road with a crown and divert the water off to the creeks.  THat would solve the problem.  

BTW i have worked building roads when i was younger, and dealt with this type soil as well as solid rock. Solid rock is just as much a problem as these types of soil around here.   I was a powderman and would have to cut into the limestone rock bed 3-4 feet deep and build up from there.  At any rate builiding gravel roads always requires a base bed of rock with buildup into a crown.   Otherwise your roads just disappear when the rains come.


The patching cost money.  I figure that the county brings in gravel for these two spots at least once or twice a month.  Thats a lot of money.  What if you dug it out, built it back up.  Wouldn't cost anymore than what their spending already.

[M.MM]

AMEN! Varmit and srkruzich actually get the whole picture and understand.

[Lookatmeknow!!]

You know its not that I don't get the whole picture, just get tired of all the complaining, all the time!!  You complain about the roads, you complain about your taxes, you complain about the school situation, and what do you do to help??  I might not attend all the meetings, but have been to school board meetings, city meetings, county meetings, I help in different clubs around town, and you know what, I get tired of all the complaining!  I am just happy to live in America!!  Sorry but I do get it, just don't complain ALL the time like some!!  Have a wonderful WEEKEND!!

[peanut]

AMEN! Varmit and srkruzich actually get the whole picture and understand.

No we get the whole picture, what you dont see is us doing exactly what you thought was a good idea all summer long last year. Rd. 18 S. of Turkey and continuing S., Also Rd. 18 S. of Junebug and that one even has a new creek crossing. Just so you knowit still is very time consuming and still is weather dictated.

[M.MM]

angtown3,If you are NOT concerned about how your tax dollars are used, whether it's for wastefulness or benefit, that's YOUR problem. I was taught NOT to be wasteful. I have NOT gotten into the school situation deal because I feel that's up to you younger generation whose children are attending our school district. I PRAISE you for attending those meetings out of your concerns on the matter. I voted on the school bond issue, as i'm sure you did also, and we may or may not have had the same opinion on it. I have helped in MANY clubs in our communities over my years as an elk county citizen, and I hope to think it was appreciated as is your own. If you can't stand stand to view others opinions for our county, then why do you keep coming back reading any of them? EVERYONE is entitled to their opinion, and everyones is NOT going to be the same. Would you keep buying your children the same brand of shoe, only to have it fall apart shortly after purchase? Or would you want to make a change next purchase? Would you keep having the same person reroof your home, only to have it leak the next rain? Or would you maybe go a different route?

peanut, 'what you don't see is us doing exactly what you thought was a good idea all summer long last year'???
Don't know who you are acusing me of being, but I don't know you and don't plan to PRETEND I do! Don't even know where rd. 18 s. of turkey and s. of junebug even are without hunting up an elk county map and looking, but they are not roads I travel. I am however fully aware that fixing our roads is VERY time consuming AND weather dictated. My concern is that your time and taxpayers money is a waste when the roads are a temporary fix when weather permits. A lot of them i've traveled that you have put rock on the last few weeks no longer has signs of that rock now because we got another rain and it has simply disappeared leaving the same problem as before you put all that rock on it. I am NOT running down YOU, or your work,you do what the boss says, so you see, the BOSS is where the problem lies on fixing our counties roads, and my opionion, he must not be doing it right the first time or most of these places would NOT be needing attention AGAIN! And I am left to assume our elected comissioners don't see things for what they are either, or change would be made.

[kshillbillys]

Why would you need a map, M.MM to find Road 18? You said you live in Elk Falls in a previous post and that you've lived here all your life. Everyone knows that Road 18 is a direct route from Elk Falls to Howard.

And if the previous boss was doing such a wonderful job, in your way of thinking, that you would never have to touch the roads again, then why are we messing with the roads again? The previous boss had 21 years to get things right and they weren't, but you think Mr. Lackey can snap his fingers and do it in a little over a year?

And I don't think Peanut was accusing YOU of being anyone. I think it was a general you, as in all of you that have been armchair road bosses lately. For someone who has lived here all their life and in the Elk Falls area, it sounds like you need to crawl out of your hole and actually do some driving on these roads that you keep bitching about. You either don't know what you're talking about (roadwise) or you are a liar about where you live.

MR. KSHillbillys

[M.MM]

MR. kshillbillys, I have NOT stated I live IN Elk Falls, rather that vicinity, and I HAVE lived in Elk county ALL my life, not always at my present location. I DO NOT travel rd.18 from Elk Falls to Howard, I take the hiway. I have NOT been in the vicinity of rd.18 and turkey in MANY years, so don't know what condition THAT may have been in. (I have looked at an Elk county road map), and that would be near Greenwood county line. I have always called the road from Elk Falls to Howard the lake road.
I have NOT made ANY comments on the previous road boss, that was made by hhjacobs. My comment to his post is that I remember gravel AND repairs being used and made all the time on our county roads. There DID used to be a windrow of gravel at one edge or the other on most roads in the past, but as I recollect, when a certain comissioner got elected into place, they saw to it that windrow was NOT left on the edge anymore, but rather left in place on the roads so water could run off to the ditches, a good idea. But we USED to have crowns on our roads also, which have disappeared leaving the road a place for water to stand! And I notice soft spots on roads even when it's DRY, which become rutty when wet. A couple weeks ago I took Piedmont rd. from 400 to Rock rd. and east to 99, just to see what condition that was in. NOT GOOD! Would have been easier to travel in my truck than my car, will NOT take my car on that one again anytime soon. And I was taught NOT to accuse someone of being a LIAR unless you have proof to back it up!