Commission okays 20 miles of paving

by Cat Urbigkit

Sublette County Road Superintendent Butch Penton gave county commissioners an extensive report of county road crew activities at the commission meeting Tuesday, April 18.

From opening roads for spring, including nearing completion of the opening of the Lander Cutoff, crews have been busy running blades. The new crusher has arrived, but is not running yet, Penton reported.

Penton reported on work on Paradise Road, noting that his crews have widened the north end of the road in preparation for paving. He reported that plans are to begin work on the southern approach of Paradise Road this weekend.

The commission discussed laning the road and placing cattleguards on the turnouts.

Commission Chair Betty Fear suggested that rather than fencing through one landowner at a time, the county should do it in one fell swoop.

Commissioners agreed to develop a specification package and take bids for laning the first seven miles of Paradise, working south to north through Justin Wright’s property.

Once Penton finished his list of road projects, he concluded: “We’ve got plenty. I don’t want you adding any more.”

The commission discussed paving the Horse Creek Road. Mark Eatinger of Rio Verde Engineering said he came up with cost estimates to address the first four miles of the road, which is the worst part of the road, comparing asphalt to chipseal. He estimated that laying four inches of asphalt would cost $1.3 million. Eatinger reported that the chipseal would cost $250,000 per coat, with the need for application of at least two coats initially, then another coat every year. Eatinger recommended the county select asphalt, which was advocated by Commissioner Bill Cramer.

Eatinger suggested that a geotech be consulted on the project, to which the commission agreed.

Penton said that while paving is being conducted, the northen try to Paradise Road through the fishing access turnouts be paved, as well as some of Shelter Park and the Pinedale Industrial Site Road. Other candidates for chipseal include the Guio Road and the road to Plainview Cemetery, as well as Calpet and Forty Rod. Penton said there are 44 miles of road in need of chip-seal work, so it’s up to the commission to decide how much money it wants to spend.

The commission agreed to pave portions of the following roads: Horse Creek, Forty Rod, Paradise, Shelter Park, Pinedale South, Guio and the Pinedale Industrial Site, for a total of 20 miles of paving at an estimated cost of $6.5 million. The commission noted that the 20 miles will be asphalt and additional roads may be chipsealed this year, but the commission did not specify which roads would be subject to this treatment.

Commissioner John Linn noted that the cost estimates presented to the commission total about $100,000 per mile for double chipsealing, and $325,000 per mile for paving.