Watertown, South Dakota Council to Weigh Anti-Skid Curve Project Funded 90% by State and Federal Money
On November 1, road safety news came from Watertown, Codington County, South Dakota: the city council is set to consider, on November 2, a joint powers agreement with the South Dakota Department of Transportation to apply a high-friction surface treatment in 2027 to a curve on 20th Avenue Southeast, commonly called the South Bypass. The curve sits at the junction of 20th Avenue Southeast with 457th Avenue and 29th Street Southeast, near the Sentry grocery store side; the project segment is about 0.227 miles long, roughly 1,200 feet, covering all lanes.
According to an agenda memo from City Manager Alan Stager, the curve qualifies for treatment under the statewide road safety improvement program. The total project budget is about $182,525.03, of which state and federal funds cover 90%, about $164,272.53, and the City of Watertown 10%, about $18,252.50; city staff have recommended budgeting $20,000 for the project in the street improvement account. Project documents estimate the high-friction treatment at this curve will deliver about $752,000 in safety benefits.
Under the agreement, the state transportation department will hire a consultant to design to state standards and will handle plan review, bidding, award, inspection and construction management. The city must confirm, at least 60 days before the contract is let, that any needed right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation and encroachment clearing are complete, and it will retain jurisdiction over and maintenance of the segment after construction.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 南达科他州沃特敦的 Kemp 大道桥（资料图）。Bp0摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经Wikimedia Commons。 / The Kemp Avenue Bridge in Watertown, South Dakota (file photo). Photo by Bp0, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
