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Work along the right of way between Highway 18 and Bell Cow Creek. Photo/Brian Blansett
A drainage improvement project along SH 18 south of Chandler should be completed by the end of this week, an Oklahoma Department of Transportation official said.
Jerry Hacker is superintendent of the Lincoln County Maintenance Division based in Chandler. He explained earlier this week, “We are attempting to reshape the Bell Cow Creek drainage ditch along SH 18.”
Hacker noted the project is located three miles south of Chandler. “We’re trying to reshape it so when Bell Cow Creek floods the rain will stay off the highway. The road was closed twice last Spring due to the flooding,” he added.
“Even though the creek may flood, we can still use the highway by keeping the water off of it,” he stressed.
Hacker said the two employees who are working on the project started work on Wednesday, Dec. 29. “We’re about 50 percent done,” he related earlier in the week.
“The plan is to be completed by the end of this week.”
His employees from the maintenance facility are doing the work. “We are understaffed,” he said, and have been since the 2 ½ years I’ve been here. We’re taking applications,” Hacker said.