By Brown County Road 12W just west of Aberdeen is getting a new name.
The stretch of road runs from the south end of the U.S. Highway 281 Bypass west to Foote Creek.
That stretch will now be called 133rd Street. West of Foote Creek, the road is already called 133rd Street.
In short, the change was made so it’s easier for emergency responders to get to calls. County Road 12W, sometimes called Old Highway 12, is an area that has caused confusion for responders.
The topic garnered plenty of discussion at the regular meeting of the Brown County Commission Tuesday, Feb. 28 at the courthouse.
Addresses along the new portion of 133rd Street will have five digits instead of four. Again, that is to make it easier to respond to emergencies and for consistency.
Gage
Changing addresses can always be a dicey proposition as homes and businesses along the route are accustomed to their old addresses. But Commissioner Mike Gage, who made the motion to rename the road, said such instances will be minimal in this case.
Any new developments along the stretch will have five digits and a 133rd Street address. And there are some plats up for approval soon.
As the road approaches the overpass from the west, it turns north and then east, so the easternmost part will not perfectly align with the rest of 133rd. But commissioners, law enforcement and emergency responders at the meeting said there is no perfect fix.
Sheriff Dave Lunzman said he consulted with the Aberdeen officials who have no issue with the change. Commissioner Mike Wiese mentioned that it might be smart to contact the postal service.
Low bid approved for Brown County Road 5 work
Commissioners approved a low bid of $3,098,937 from Lien Transportation to put an asphalt overlay on nine of 10 miles of County Road 5 from U.S. Highway 218 west to the McPherson County line. The other mile is in good shape.
The road is in the northwest part of Brown County.
Highway Superintendent Dirk Rogers said the county could have done the job this year for about the same cost, but the time commitment would be great. With Lien doing the work, the department will have significantly more time to work on other projects.
The county received bids ranging from $3,098,937 to $3,501,444 a week ago.
MORE: Road project in northwestern Brown County will cost $3M-plus
Commissioners reminded Brown County residents that spring load limits take effect Friday, March 3 as soon as signs go up. The 6-tons-per-axle limits protect roads during the spring thaw.
The commission also approved a variety of gravel and rental equipment bids for the highway department. The different bids cover availability and geography.