The Dodge County Highway Department is responsible for maintaining about 325 miles of road and 97 bridges. In addition, the department staff helps with 437 miles of road and 138 bridges in the townships and towns in the county.

County Engineer Guy Kohlnhofer explained to the county commissioners at their meeting July 14, that 2019 was, “…our biggest project year in history.” The department oversaw about $8 million of contract work.

Construction projects for the year included:

• County State Aid Highway 1 – Bituminous overlay and aggregate shouldering
• CSAH 22 between CSAH 24 and Trunk Highway 57 – Various bituminous overlay patches
• County Road 5 from the south county line to Trunk Highway 30 – Pavement reclamation and bituminous surfacing
• County Road 9 from CSAH 16 to CSAH 22 - Pavement reclamation and bituminous surfacing
• County Road 9 from the south county line to TH 30 - Pavement reclamation and bituminous surfacing
• County Road 11 from CSAH 16 to CSAH 22 - Bituminous overlay
• County Road 15 from TH 30 to CSAH 6 - Bituminous overlay
• County Road 15 from TH 14 to 265^th Ave - Pavement reclamation and bituminous surfacing
• County Road 20 from the east county line to CSAH 1 - Pavement reclamation and bituminous surfacing
• CSAH 3 Bridge south of Claremont - Replaced old timber bridge with new concrete bridge
• CSAH 9 Bridge south of TH 14 - Replaced old timber bridge with new concrete box culverts
• CAR K from TH 56 to CSAH 9 – Surface reclamation and aggregate surfacing
• CAR G from west county line to CSAH 1 – Reclaim in preparation for 2020 paving

Historically, 2019 was also the wettest year on record in Southeast Minnesota. That weather hindered many projects and added a lot of work to the department’s staff members’ already full calendars as they had to repair washed out roads and culverts mixed with other damage caused by the strong storms and sudden flooding. When possible, these repairs improved a location to help prevent future storm damage.