Contributed photo, from left to right:  Lyle Moen – Retired Asst. to the Engineer, Jacob Thorius, P.E. – Washington Co. Engineer, Jeremy McLaughlin – Engineer Technician, Dennis Murray – Engineer Aide  

Washington County has become the sixth county in the state to complete 200 miles of slip-form paving. The Washington County Secondary Roads Department received a 200th Mile Award from the Iowa Concrete Paving Association. The award recognizes 200 miles of Portland Cement Concrete from 1962 to 2018 in Washington County. It started in Washington County when Bob Huber was County Engineer and placed the first slip-form pavement on a county road in 1962 with 6.5 miles on Riverside Road from Washington to 190th Street. The cost was $28,678 per mile.

By the time he retired in 1995, Huber had placed approximately 150 miles of slip-form pavement. When Bob Bauer was County Engineer he placed approximately 18.5 miles. David Patterson placed approximately 17.4 miles of PCC. And current Washington County Engineer Jacob Thorius, the fourth county engineer, has placed approximately 16.7 miles. Technician and assistant to the engineer Lyle Moen was on staff for over 145 miles of the pavement during his 42-year career.

The most recent pavement was at a cost of $538,850 per mile in the 2018 construction season.