Guardrails along certain sections of Augusta Bottom Road in St. Charles County could be built by mid-June. That is the hope of Joe Brazil, a county councilman who represents the southwestern portion of the county where part of the road lies. The county is accepting bids for construction of the guardrails through May 12. Brazil told The Missourian Thursday that St. Charles County only can build guardrails on its side of the county line, not Warren County. Guardrails will be placed where there are water hazards close to the road, Brazil explained. The exact placement and length of guardrails will be determined by the St. Charles County engineer. After bids are opened, the council will choose a contractor. “We hope to have them (guardrails) erected by the middle of June,” he said. Brazil worked with St. Charles County executive Steve Ehlmann on the request for guardrails. “It’s something that needed to be addressed,” Brazil said. Two fatal crashes, one in Warren County and one in St. Charles County, occurred within about three weeks of each other last fall along Augusta Bottom Road. Officials from Washington, Augusta, St. Charles County and Warren County have agreed to sign onto an application for a grant to move forward with a safety study of the bottom road. A Traffic Engineering Assistance Program (TEAP) grant through the Missouri Department of Transportation would cover 80 percent of the estimated $10,000 cost to conduct the study. The city of Washington has agreed to pay up to a $2,000 match toward the grant. However, Brazil said he and the county executive felt they needed to get guardrails in place as soon as possible. “Does anybody need to tell you that water three feet away from the road is dangerous? We already know,” he said, in response to whether the county should wait for the findings of the study. “We’re going to address it (the problem) the way we see fit,” Brazil said. While the county cannot make safety improvements every time a fatality occurs, “it’s obvious that we have to try to do what is safe,” he said. Warren County commissioners have been adamant that the section of road where one of the fatal wrecks happened, though in Warren County, is Augusta’s responsibility. Commissioners also have been reluctant to pave the Warren County portion in fear more accidents will occur as motorists drive faster. The “struggle” of entities surrounding the road is “absurd,” Brazil said. “St. Charles County’s position is that it’s a problem. People in this area need this. This is what needs to be done. We examined the situation and took action,” Brazil said. “This is what a government is supposed to do, especially when it comes to safety and infrastructure. I just don’t get Warren County.” In early April, Brazil said St. Charles County erected a sign near the county border that reads “Danger — Pavement Ends” and suggests a 5 mph speed limit. Washington City Engineer Dan Boyce said a consultant, Rick Brown with H.R. Green Co., is preparing the draft application for the grant and local entities should be receiving it soon for review.