Newton Citizen

COVINGTON -- Portions of Duncan and Dixie roads will be closed next week for repairs related to stormwater drainage.

The county is hoping to keep both projects limited to one day to limit the inconvenience to motorists, said County Engineer Kevin Walter.

"The reason we're doing these projects next week is because school's out. We're trying to minimize the impact to schools and school buses and parents. Hopefully, if we don't start until 8:30, most of the commuters will have gone by," Walter said.

A stretch of Duncan Road lying half a mile north of Macedonia Church Road will be closed beginning at 8:30 a.m. Monday. A rotted out metal pipe will be replaced with a 30-inch concrete pipe.

"Since it's a connecting road, people will have to go around. It will be a moderate inconvenience for people. That's why we want to do it as quickly as we can," he said. "These are necessary improvements so the road doesn't wash out."

On Wednesday, Dixie Road 100 feet north of its intersection with Big Woods and Benton Dairy roads will be closed, also beginning at 8:30 a.m., to fix a long-term drainage problem.

"There's a bunch of farms out there and a long time ago there was a pipe drain under the road. But it's totally covered up with dirt and we don't even know where it is," Walter said. "There's a low spot in the road where water ponds up there, and it takes a long time to evaporate. We're putting in a small pipe to drain the 'ponded' water so as not to create a traffic safety hazard."

Both projects will cost less than $10,000 for material and labor, and will be paid for through the capital improvements fund.