Highway Committee honors employees

By Gillian Pomplun

The Crawford County Highway Committee honored two employees at their June 15 meeting. Jeffrey Johnson was recognized for 15 years of service, and Roger Olson for five years of service. Johnson was not present at the meeting, and Highway Commissioner Kyle Kozelka presented the certificate of recognition to Roger Olson.
“I have been very happy working with the Highway Department team,” Olson said. “Everyone in the department does their part and things are going great.”
Kozelka thanked Olson for his operational talent and great attitude, and said it was a “blessing to have him.”
Bridge projects
The county is currently undertaking two bridge re-placement projects on Norwegian Hollow Road and Grand Grae Road, with planning beginning for 2024 projects on County S and Mill Park Drive in DeSoto.
“The Norwegian Hollow replacement project is completed, and was inspected two weeks ago,” Kozelka told the committee. “Crews are making progress on the Gran Grae project, and will tear out the existing bridge next week.”
Kozelka said that a public information meeting about the planned 2024 bridge replacement on County S would be held at the High-way Department Building just south of Seneca on Highway 27 on July 12, from 3-4 p.m. He had no update about the DeSoto project which will involve the northern most bridge on Old Highway 35.
Highways projects
The department has been busy with the County W project in the last month, pulverizing 3.5 miles and placing finished rock on 1.5 miles, putting them at the half way point in the project.
Kozelka reported that he received a quote for sealing work on City of Prairie du Chien streets. He said that his department had already orders materials for 2023 projects, and the schedule is already set, so it likely would not be until 2024 when the county could assist the city with the work.
In other business
Kozelka said that BNSF Railroad is seeking a con-tractor for the work on delivering the rock used at the train derailment site to the location of the county’s choosing. He said that once a contractor is selected, arrangements will be made for the delivery.
Last, the committee issued a variance to Burnie Christopherson for the purpose of building a shed for a Bed & Breakfast business in Bell Center.
“He has worked with Becky Nagel of Sanitation and Zoning and the DNR, and the streambed at the site has been reclassified as a dry ditch instead of a wet-land,” Kozelka reported. “The structure will not be in the road right-of-way, and plans for the Highway 131 project in 2025 show no changes for that stretch of road.”