Lyon County residents presented concerns over low water crossings on Road K7 near Olpe during a meeting of the county commission Thursday morning.
Neighbors Gary Jones and Beth Ginter, who both live on the 600 block of Road K7, said the low water crossing was flooding to the point where the gravel was consistently being washed out. This was making it difficult for residents in the area to travel, since there are no other roads in the area. Jones said there used to be a road on the southeast corner of Olpe City Lake that would provide outside access to residents. He asked commissioners why that road had been closed.
Chair Rollie Martin, speaking on behalf of County Engineer Chip Woods who was not in attendance, said Woods had advised him that the road had actually been closed in 1919.
He could not say why commissioners at that time had decided to close the road.
“That was 100 years ago, so why it was done or how it was done is [unknown],” Martin said.
Ginter said her concern was the length of time that the road was impassable during recent and ongoing flooding events. Martin said county precedent states that landowners must pay to have a road opened if they so wish it. Once a road has been built to county standards, the county would then take over maintenance of the road.
He recommended Ginter and Jones speak with the Olpe City Council about the issue, but Jones said he did not believe that would go anywhere.
(Read more: Emporia Gazette)