Staff writer
A group of people who frequently drive 330th Rd. presented county commissioners with a petition Monday asking that the road be made safer.
The portion of road they are concerned with runs from K-15 to the McPherson County line.
Larry Wedel and Warren Unruh, both of Tampa; JoAnn Gerringer, Gary Gerringer, Anita Schmidt, Eddie Schmidt, and Ronald Unruh, all of Durham; and Joyce Duke, of Marion, came to speak with commissioners.
“We don’t want to give up the highway,” Larry Wedel said. “Nobody wants to drive on gravel.”
Wedel said the road has no shoulder, and appears to be crumbling on the edges.
“This road has become too dangerous for any emergency vehicles to travel, as fast speed is required,” Eddie Schmidt said. “This is the only paved road in the northwest part of the county.”
Schmidt also said the condition of the road casts the county in a poor light.
“It looks like we don’t care what shape our roads are in. So then they may begin to wonder what else Marion County doesn’t care about, as in schools, shopping, churches, etc.,” Schmidt said.
The group said the road is heavily used by agricultural, recreational, church, school, and hunting traffic as well as typical traffic by area residents.
The 10-point petition asks that the road and its ditches be properly repaired.
“Please show us the same courtesy and support you show other citizens and areas of this county. And please, when you read this petition, remember this is for the benefit of the many, not just a few,” the petition reads.
Jesse Hamm, road and bridge superintendent, told the group the issues might stem from a seepage issue.
“This is a situation we are concerned about,” Hamm said.
He said he’s been talking to several people and listening to their ideas about what’s needed.
In other matters, commissioners voted to have storm windows on two sides of the courthouse painted to match the windows on the other two sides, at no cost to the county. Some windows are framed with white and others with colonial white.