BENTONVILLE -- The 2021 Road Department plan was presented to Benton County justices of the peace Thursday night as part of the budget process.
A $13.4 million budget is proposed for the Road Department for 2021, according to a presentation given by Jay Frasier, who oversees Road Department. The road element was part of the overall county administration budget proposal.
County Judge Barry Moehring is responsible for 10 departments including the Road Department. The total proposed 2021 budget for those departments is $26.5 million, according to documents.
Key objectives for the Road Department next year include improving 30 miles of road using asphalt overlay and chip-and-seal and improving 6.6 miles using fog seal, according to documents. Plans also show an estimated 15 dirt roads to be improved next year.
New projects include Reed Avenue and Luper and Mayo roads in the Lowell area. Capital equipment requests -- for things such as graders and dump trucks -- stand at $2.8 million, according to documents.
Bridge projects for 2021 include Osage Creek, Robinson Road, Columbia Hollow and Wagon Wheel, according to documents. County chief engineer Josh Beam updated the justices on the bridge work.
Osage Creek bridge on Old Highway 68 just west of Logan Road closed Thursday for construction on a new bridge. The completion time is next fall, according to a news release. The cost is $2.3 million and will be paid with 80% federal money, 18% in state aid and 2% from the county, according to the presentation.
There also were presentations for public safety and facilities. Proposed budgets are $4.6 million for public safety and $2.2 million for facilities, according to county documents.
One of the 2021 capital projects for facilities is the courthouse expansion. The county will finance $3.1 million for that project.
A new courtroom is needed for Christine Horwart, who was elected in March and will be the seventh circuit judge. She takes office Jan. 1. The Arkansas Legislature added the judgeship to assist with the increasing caseload.
The expansion will add 5,500 square feet to the downtown courthouse. The county plans to demolish the one-story section behind the courthouse once housing the coroner's office. A two-story addition is planned on the site with a lobby area and restrooms on the first floor. Horwart's courtroom and office area would be on the second floor.
Demolition work for the court expansion will start later this year and construction will start in early 2021, Moehring said.
The budget for the Collector's Office also was discussed and there was a healthcare update during the almost three-hour meeting in the Quorum Courtroom on the third floor of the County Administration Building.
Mike Jones can be reached by email at mjones@nwadg.com.