Augusta Parkway officially part of county road system
Posted 10/1/16
By Tim Schmidt Record Managing Editor Repairs to the Augusta Parkway section of Augusta Bottom Road are one step closer now that it is part of the Warren County road system. Warren County …
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Augusta Parkway officially part of county road system
Posted
By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorRepairs to the Augusta Parkway section of Augusta Bottom Road are one step closer now that it is part of the Warren County road system.Warren County commissioners voted 2-1 Monday to accept the controversial stretch of Augusta Bottom Road, located in southwestern Warren County and primarily used by motorists going between St. Charles County and Washington. It was previously owned by the town of Augusta.In November, the county voted to assume ownership of Augusta Parkway and a variance was granted last month to allow for it to be accepted into the road system.However, the county could not officially take in — or vacate — a road until the start of a quarterly term, pursuant to state statute. Monday’s vote should be the last one in a recent stretch that has occurred over the last couple of months related to the ownership of the road.The Augusta Parkway section is in Warren County, but county officials had refused to maintain that section since it was rebuilt after the 1993 Missouri River flood with a federal grant obtained by Augusta.Commissioners said initial repairs to the driving surface will start later this month once floodwaters recede.Monday’s decision was opposed by one commissioner.Southern District Commissioner Hubie Kluesner opposed the move, saying he believed the road needed to be transferred to adjacent property owners. Adding the parkway to the county’s road system could lead to the county facing future litigation, he said.“I think we missed an opportunity to turn it back over to the local farmers,” he remarked. “It’s a tremendous liability.”Northern District Commissioner Dan Hampson countered, explaining that the county needs to move forward because of agreements already in place requiring the county to assume ownership and future maintenance.“This intergovernmental agreement closes the chapter on this specific lawsuit and has the support of other government agencies,” Hampson responded. “Like it or not, this is what we came up with.”Augusta Parkway was the site of a 2010 traffic accident where a 16-year-old Washington girl was killed. A wrongful death lawsuit filed by the girl’s parents alleged the deteriorating and unsafe condition of the road led to the fatal crash.The suit intensified efforts, mainly from outside of the county, to improve the road’s condition. As a result, a settlement agreement was approved by multiple government entities and private parties to transfer ownership of the parkway section from Augusta to Warren County.Also, Warren County, St. Charles County, Washington and Augusta will each provide funds totaling $80,000 to have guardrails erected in the area of Augusta Parkway.As part of the agreement, road repairs and safety improvements must be made no later than July 1.Commissioners have stressed the parkway, about three-eighths of a mile long, will be maintained with a gravel surface similar to the rest of the road that lies in the southeastern part of the county. The section of the road in southwestern St. Charles County is paved with asphalt.The wrongful death lawsuit was settled Aug. 31, according to online court records. Warren County paid $25,000 and Washington $10,000, though the amount paid by Augusta was kept confidential. The judge ordered the settlement terms to be sealed.The portion of Augusta Bottom Road in Warren County is officially closed — and has been for some time — but drivers continue to use the road on a daily basis.
