Armor coating projects expected to cost about $13,500 per mile

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Red Willow County commissioners and the county's surveyor are estimating armor coating projects this summer will cost about $13,500 a mile.

During the commissioners' weekly meeting in the courthouse in McCook, Nebraska, Monday morning, commissioners and county surveyor Gary Dicenta decided to continue the process in which the county buys the oil and gravel, and bids only the application.

Dicenta said that the price of oil will depend upon the type of oil used and the vendor selected -- MC800 will cost $2.47 to $2.70 a gallon, and MC3000 will cost $2.38 to $2.70 a gallon.

Those prices do not include freight of about 23 cents per gallon and a surcharge, Dicenta said.

Again depending on the vendor, gravel will cost $5 to $6 a ton.

Commissioners discussed armor coating about six miles from Lebanon north, last armor coated in 2003, and about five miles of the Cambridge lake road, last armor coated in 1997 and crack-sealed in the past couple years. McNutt said he wants to consider doing 10-12 miles "max" this year.

The two projects discussed will require about 3,300 gallons of oil per mile and a total of 165 ton of gravel. County crews will do patching and work the shoulders before a contractor arrives to do the armor coating.

Dicenta said he would return to another meeting with more exact estimates of costs knowing what roads commissioners want to do this summer.