by Mari Radtke
Much of the paving of M12 from Highway 10 at Sutherland north to Highway 18 at Hartley is done. The underground utility lines in the Hartley city limits have been replaced and planning to minimize disruption to the Care Center and the Church was put into place. The paving there is expected to begin Monday and be completed by Thursday to allow traffic back on the road before Sunday. It has to be done in sections to allow access for emergency vehicles.
A hard rainfall caught Croell, Inc. by surprise in June while laying concrete on M12 north of Sutherland near 430th Street. The rainfall was bad enough to require the removal and replacement of 791 feet. Working toward an agreement for this station is ongoing. Other, less severe damage was also graded. Three categories of severity were determined between county officials, Croell, Inc. representatives and Iowa DOT. The evaluations are according to DOT specifications. Pay adjustments per footage of specific damage have been proposed. The stations of the specific damage are identified. Case I damage, the least severe will receive 95% of contracted payment for 1036 feet. Case II, mortar is absent with more aggravate visible will receive 90% of contracted payment. This level of damage affects 338 feet. Case III is the most severe damage except for the stations requiring full removal and replacement. Case III is 199 feet of this station has considerable erosion to the edges and slight troughs in the pavement. It will receive 85% of contracted price once an agreement is finalized.