Butler Co. Engineer’s Office strives for safe travels

Maintaining roads in the interest of public safety is a priority as the Butler County Engineer's Office strives to provide an efficient transportation system throughout the county.

Butler County Engineer John Riherd supervises the engineer’s office and the Secondary Roads Department. He is assisted by engineers Tom Hoodjer, Dave Scanlan and Landon Cleary and office man-ager Susie Jacobs. In the Roads Department, Dave Becker serves as equipment superintendent and Nick Koenen as road maintenance superintendent. The entire team consists of 36 employees dedicated to keeping the county’s 962-mile road system in good repair.

“Our main goal is public safety…” Scanlan said. “We look at general safety for roads, bridges and infrastructure.”

Everything related to secondary roads–the gravel road system, pavements, maintenance, construction and inspection–is their domain.

This past year has been a particularly challenging one, with flooding in the fall, extreme cold and heavy snowfall in the winter and more flooding in the spring. Repairs have to be made within the allotted budget for the year.

“We spent a lot of money last fall on flood repairs. This winter, we paid for overtime, fuel and materials. And this spring is tricky, trying to fix the same roads…” Riherd said. “We have to make the best use of the monies that we are entrusted with. … We strive every day to do things in the most efficient way we can, looking for long-term solutions.”

For the full story, see this week’s Eclipse News-Review. Subscribe by calling 319-346-1461 or by clicking here.

Parkersburg Eclipse News-Review

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