Highway Committee Hears North Trail Riders Appeal For Road Access Six people representing North Trail Riders attended the Wednesday, Oct. 7 Marinette County Highway Committee meeting to ask that County Trunk A be opened from Eagle River Road east to the intersection of County A and C in the Town of Athelstane. Those present were Irvan LaCount, Bobby McCracken, Greg Reinhardt, Gary Jobelius, Kathy Wandt and John Dobratz, who is town of Athelstane chairman. Reinhardt is the town treasurer.
Dobratz said they opened up 26 town roads, and said opening the requested stretch of Co. A is a matter of survival for businesses in Athelstane.
County Public Works Director/ Road Commissioner Mark Desotell said travel for ATVs or snowmobiles should be on road shoulders only, not in the ditches saying 1 1/4 feet of wide paved shoulders is not insurmountable.
“Everyone around us is opening up, so business can survive, Dobratz added.
Desotell said he will schedule a meeting with DNR Water Management Specialist Robert Rosenberger to discuss the issue.
Someone mentioned liability, and Reinhardt said there is no liability problem.
Dobratz said, “We (the town) will take jurisdiction of County A. It’s a dead end anyway and doesn’t go anywhere.”
Desotell then promised to “check it out”, and the contingent left.
He then spent about 45 minutes going over a Memo dated June 17, 2009 on Considerations toward a draft policy for use of STP Funding within Municipalities. It was pertinent because of a major reconstruction planned in the Village of Coleman and issues of who will pay for such things as passing lanes, bicycle/pedestrian or safety shoulders, curb and gutter, storm sewer and other underground utility work.
Cost sharing is 80% STP Rural state funding, 10% county match and 10% municipality match.
Also discussed was installation of a new scenic overlook area, parking area, and regrading the access path to the river at the Menominee River Natural Resource Area, with labor and materials not to exceed $28,000. The area is in the Town of Pembine at the east end of Co. R, which runs from just north of Village of Pembine to Quiver Falls north of the Pembonwon Islands. Desotell added he was asking for “after the fact approval”, as a commitment has already been made. A motion to proceed then passed.
He reported to the committee that the state maintenance allocation from the Department of Transportation has been cut by 10.75% in the new budget, but Marinette County is actually getting more than last year by 6.78% because of added miles of road brought by the US-41 four lane and bypass additions, so the allocation will be a $93,000 gain.
He briefly reviewed the routine maintenance agreement with the DOT and explained the grant application for reconstruction of the Coleman main street-Co. B had not been successful, it didn’t work out, as it wasn’t “shovel ready” for a possible federal stimulus grant. “We have to sit down for a meeting with the Village and see where it goes from here. They are not in a position to do sewer and water, estimated to cost $250,000 to $350,000, and $35,000 for parking lanes.”
He suggested going for requests for proposals from contractors, and the committee voted approval.
Also approved was seeking proposals (RFP’s) for Co. L in the Towns of Beecher and Dunbar from US 141 from US 141 to Pike Plains Road.
A motion that passed July 22 for an ATV crossing the east side of Waboose Lane on Co. W was rescinded.
A request for a speed reduction for Co. C in Silver Cliff from Fox Lake Road west to Boat Landing 11 Road was discussed. Russ Bauer asked who requested it, and noted there is no sight problem from the Fire Station. Desotell said in general traffic polices itself, and people go by what they see, curves, intersections, etc. rather than relying on signs. He said it might be a good idea to engage the Marinette Traffic Safely Committee to check it out. He then recommended moving the existing sign 4000 feet east on Co. C with the ordinance adjusted accordingly.
He noted the 100th Anniversary Book being prepared by the Wisconsin Counties Association. Marinette County interviews are set for Oct. 12. Wisconsin’s first County Highway Commissioner was Andrew Eklund of Peshtigo, who took over the job in 1901. His equipment included a horse drawn grader, and he carried out changing of crooked old Indian trails into roads with one assistant to help.
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