County wants roads widened
The Marshall County Board of Supervisors asked engineer Larry Britt if there is a funding source to widen several north/south roads near Highway 302 to ease traffic congestion related to the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park.
Heavy trucks are cutting through some roads like North Red Banks, Cayce and Moore to dodge the scales in Olive Branch, they said.
“What is the process of widening the road?” asked supervisor Charles Terry.
Britt said the process is the same for all surrounding counties. Money comes from the legislature through State Aid. If the fund increases, counties get more following a funding formula. The Use Tax may provide extra money for roads in three or four years, he said.
The price to pave a four-lane road is $1.5 million per mile, Britt said. Most State Aid Roads would only go from two lanes to three lanes.
“It all boils down to money,” Britt said.
Terry asked how a road would be prioritized for widening.
“Traffic count?” he asked.
Terry said he gets lots of complaints about traffic on Red Banks Road.
Britt said Red Banks Road has lots of traffic because it is being used heavily due to lots of traffic on Cayce.
“More and more it is big truck traffic,” said District 3 supervisor Keith Taylor.
“They use it to bypass Olive Branch of credit once it is amended.
Supervisors are vigilant that the board does not get left holding the bag once a developer leaves and his subdivision road is turned over to the county to maintain. The board is requiring a bond for the road and a separate bond for erosion be put in place before permitting a new subdivision or adding a new subdivision phase.
Taylor mentioned John Porter’s proposed subdivision at Barringer and Farley roads.
“He’s got to get his sewer in and it will be a force main that he will be responsible for building,” Taylor said.
Zoning director Ken Jones asked supervisors if the subdivision permit should be held up until sewer and water are onsite.
“Nothing is official until it comes to us,” he said, referring to permitting of new subdivisions.
“He (Porter) applied to IDA (Marshall County Industrial Development Authority) and said there would be no industrial site on the south side. Now he is developing the south side.”
Britt agreed the subdivision Porter is proposing is on an existing road. But the county can require Porter provide a bond for water and sewer. Porter already has a bond for storm water in place, he said.
Taylor said he thinks Porter wants to change his plans and he wants Britt to know that everything that is required is done.
“Whoever owns it, must meet requirements. This is not a phase,” Taylor said.
“He needs to get his sewage before starting to build,” said District 5 supervisor Ronnie Joe Bennett.
Waste disposal
Taylor brought up a burned out mobile home that is being salvaged for scrap metal before the trailer is moved. He said demolition waste is being stacked on the side of the road for Team Waste to pick up.
“Team Waste is not supposed to clean up construction waste,” Taylor said.
Taylor said he is still getting lots of calls about trash scattered at Warsaw on Highway 309 South and at Moore’s Grocery on Highway 72. Dumpsters are overflowing and trash is blowing everywhere, he said.
Trash and stacks of old tires were found behind a car wash at Moore’s, he said.
Fairgrounds concessions
Jones said a late bid came in for fairgrounds concessions. He asked if the present concessions provider can continue to operate until the project is bid out again. The board approved Jones’ request.