Marshall County Highway Supervisor, Jason Peters asked the County Commissioners their preference in alerting motorists when high water is on a county roadway that has a permanent warning sign already posted.
Monday morning Peters said there are several locations throughout the county that are susceptible to high water issues and permanent signs are posted. With the heavy rains last week the county posted numerous signs warning drivers of high water on the roadways. He wondered if additional signage should be posted in these types of events.
Commissioner Mike Delp said he was concerned about younger drivers with less experience and drivers safety in general.
Commissioner Stan Klotz was concerned about the county’s liability and asked County Attorney Jim Clevenger his thoughts.
Clevenger said, “It’s a tough one. The problem is, if there’s just a little water on the side of the road from time to time the permanent sign is warning. If there’s water flowing across and it’s becoming a more significant hazard, it seems to me we should give them a more significant warning.”
Superintendent Peters said the roads with the permanent signs are the worst ones when it comes to a flooding event.
The County Attorney asked what constitutes a road closure and Peters said, “It’s based on our discrepancy. If it’s up 4 to 6 inches and its going to continue to rise I think it’s something you’ve got to start looking to closing it. Number two, if you can’t see anything underneath the road and you’re driving through it. With any type of flow it could actually erode the road out and you could never see it.”
The commissioners opted for the “safer the better” and will have high water signs placed on roadways where permanent signs are warning when water is across the roadways.
