Published: March 25, 2008 11:42 am         

County lowers speed on roads

A bridge on a gravel road west of Interstate 35 recently began to bow and shift, prompting speed limits on four county roads at Monday’s Cooke County Commissioners meeting.

Precinct 2 Commissioner Steve Key said a bridge on West Spring Creek Road, located about a mile west of Interstate Highway 35, has begun to deteriorate and closed it March 13. In an interview Monday afternoon, he attributes the damage primarily to an increase in heavy trucks, such as those used in transporting liquids used in oil and natural gas drilling and wastewater.

“It’s simple physics,” he said. “When you have an 8,000 lb. truck bouncing down the roads, that’s a huge impact to the bridge.”

Key said after consulting a Texas Department of Transportation official it was apparent several things were wrong with the bridge, including a shifted concrete base, a center column which doesn’t meet the bridge itself and other signs of deterioration. Key said a nearby resident called in a possible road hazard when she noticed the west end of the bridge sinking near where the bridge meets the earthen portion of the road.

Key’s response was to suggest West Spring Creek Road, as well as County Road 2070 to the north, County Road 248 south of Valley View and Hockley Creek Road on the east side of I-35, have their speed limits be lowered to 35 mph. The Commissioners approved the new speed limits unanimously.

West Spring Creek Road is closed to through traffic until the bridge can be repaired, Key noted.

Shelly Wallace, a veterinarian living on County Road 2070, said she is worried about oil field trucks from a nearby business posing a hazard. She called the speed limits “an awesome thing.”

“I think him (Key) slowing down the speed will help tremendously,” she said.

In other Precinct 2 business, according to unofficial minutes of the meeting, the Commissioners voted unanimously to declare a list of aging road and bridge items as surplus and advertise for bids.

Key said the Precinct 2 yard has fiberglass pipe, guard rail material and a used backhoe which at this time is taking up room.

In other business, according to unofficial minutes, the Commissioners voted to

• Approve the combining polling places for the April 8 run-off election (see future Register for the list) and a slate of election judges.

• Declare April 6-12 as County Government Week and April 7-13 as National Public Health Week.

• Approve bid specifications for crushed rock, chip material, hot mix-hot/cold lay and fuel for the next 12 months and MC 250, 800 and 3000 for six months.

• Approve the preliminary plat of Horseman’s Ranch Phase II (lots 27–48) located off of County Road 115 in Precinct 1 north of Callisburg.

• A list of consent agenda items including allowing Copano Field Services/North Texas, LLC at their expense, to install a 10-inch steel pipeline for a low pressure gas gathering system across County Road 371 about 562 feet southwest of the intersection of Farm to Market Road 922 and County Road 371 in Precinct 3 and allowing Woodbine Water Supply at their expense, to install a two-inch casing for a one-inch fresh water line running north and south across County Road 2134 about three-tenths of a mile east of County Road 211 in Precinct 2.

No action was taken on donations to the Cooke County Library or on re-imbursement for hotel expense of for Net Data Training for the County Attorney’s Office.

The Commissioners discussed the upcoming restoration of the Cooke County Courthouse, but took no formal action. Precinct 3 Commissioner Al Smith said he and Precinct 4 Commissioner Virgil Hess are beginning to prepare bid specifications and legal terms for restoring the Cooke County Courthouse.

“Even though we’re months ahead, we thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and get a good proposal together,” Smith said.

No action was taken following executive session, which pertained to attorney-client matters.

In citizen comments, Ken Arterbury, Dexter area resident, said on April 1 a group of Cooke County citizens plan to circulate a petition calling for the Commissioners Court to instruct the Cooke County Appraisal District to lower property values by 20 percent or more to reflect the recent drop in home values.

“We the citizens of Cooke County have no choice but to ask that this Commissioners Court approve this petition,” Arterbury said, according to his written statement. “Cooke County property appraisals have been rising on average of more than 10 percent a year for several years. Whereas Cooke County taxes have doubled every seven to 10 years. Therefore property valves have declined nationally on an average of 20 percent and in some places as high as 50 percent in the past year.”

Arterbury also noted an increase in costs in groceries, gasoline, health care and other basic services. He suggested the petition be the basis for a November ballot referendum.

Reporter Andy Hogue may be contacted at andyhoguegdr@ntin.net