Road work to begin on Old 81 next week

By Todd Brooks

A summer-long project to resurface Old 81 from the Comanche “Y” to the Duncan Industrial Park will begin either next Tuesday or Wednesday, according to District 3 commissioner Russell Morgan.

“It’s going to be 5 1/2 miles total,” Morgan said.

A new technique will be used that will prolong the life of the roads. A “scrub seal” will both fill holes and resurface at the same time.

“We wanted to get to it and be finished by the time school started back,” Morgan said.

He said it should take a few months to complete. The project will start on the south end in Comanche.

“We’re asking people to slow down and bear with us,” Morgan said. “We are going to be as polite and considerate towards everyone, but it is going to inconvenience people for a bit.”

The fact that the road is not the same width from start to finish will slow down the process a little bit.

The road will not be striped initially because of other road projects going along about the same time.

“The striping company wants to wait until all the projects are finished before they come in,” Morgan said. “We are going to put reflectors on the hills

Morgan received a phone call from a resident who lives on the road saying that the road was fine, but he said this is a pre-emptive move and would cut down on the amount of work and money needed.

“We want to get to it before it does get bad,” Morgan said.

It cost around $11,000 to chip and seal a road when he first came into office, but now it costs more than $20,000 to do a mile.

Besides chipping and sealing, the county will also be doing a fog seal, which will add an extra seal to the chip and seal.

“It will allow the road to last two or three more years,” Morgan said.

While he knows there may be some who will not be happy with the project while it is going on, Morgan thinks they will change their mind.

“I think they will be tickled when it’s done,” Morgan said.

For any questions or concerns about the project, call the county barn at 580-439-2206.