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County paving plans laid out

Nearly 21 miles proposed for treatment

Holly M. Gill

Over the coming year, the Jefferson County Public Works Department plans to pave or chip seal nearly 21 miles of county roads.

"We try to do about 20 miles a year, depending on the budget," said Mike McHaney, county public works director.

The proposed surface treatments for 2012 include chip sealing Ninth Street in Metolius from Highway 361 to Southwest Columbia Drive; Southwest Elbe Drive from Gem Lane to Eureka Lane; Dover Lane from the start of pavement to U.S. Highway 97; Southwest Feather Drive from Gem Lane to Eureka Lane, and from Jericho Lane to south of the railroad tracks; Northeast Cora Drive from Highway 97 to Clark Drive; and Northeast Clark Drive from Cora Drive to Quaale Road.

Paving and/or chip sealing are planned for Northwest Boise Drive and North Adams Drive, from Gumwood Lane to Juniper Lane.

The county expects to pave Southwest Jordan Road, at the Cove Palisades State Park, from the Deschutes River Bridge, west for 2.3 miles.

For the current fiscal year, McHaney said the county received about $400,000 in payments from the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, and its extension through 2011, which have now expired.

Congress originally passed the act to help compensate over 700 rural counties across the country for a decline in timber harvest levels on federal land.

"We'll have to analyze the loss of federal forest receipts," he said. "Unless Congress reauthorizes it, there will be no more money."

For the 2012-2013 budget, he anticipates receiving about $130,000 in actual receipts from forest cuts in the county, which would be a substantial reduction from the current fiscal year.

Provided that there is adequate funding, next year, he proposed patching and chip sealing nearly 5.5 miles of Camp Sherman Road, all the way from State Highway 20 to the Camp Sherman store.

Chip sealing is also projected from segments of Northwest Dogwood Lane, Southwest Bear Drive, Southwest Iris Lane, Northeast Hilltop Lane, Northwest Glass Drive, Northeast Meadowlark Lane, and Northeast Cherry Lane.

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