Road graders adopt safer working methods [Columbus Telegram, Neb.]

Jan. 08--COLUMBUS -- On a quiet winter evening, Rick Morris steers his motor grader down 100th Avenue north of 260th Street at the Platte County line.

He travels a quarter of a mile down the road. Morris could take the grader back down the same side he came, against traffic, to save time and fuel.

Except for a single car that passes him as he works, the road is totally clear. Nevertheless, Morris has to go back to where he started with his blade up, deadheading, because he must travel with traffic to comply with a new regulation from Nebraska Intergovernmental Risk Management Association.

The insurer is urging Platte County -- along with the rest of the counties it serves -- to begin aggressively enforcing a state law that prohibits gravel road maintenance against traffic more.

The new policy is as much for road worker and driver safety as it is for legal liability. The insurer has seen a number lawsuits filed against counties because of auto collisions with motor graders and other equipment performing maintenance against traffic.

Platte County Highway Superintendent Terry Wicht said no such accidents or lawsuits have occurred in Platte County.

Wicht explained that grading gravel roads opposing traffic saves both fuel and labor. As grader operators travel down a gravel road with traffic grading the right side of the road, they formerly turned around and took the grader blade across that same side -- albeit, on the wrong side of the road.

With the new policy, they will have to grade, turn around with their blades up on the other side of the road to travel with traffic, and travel to the same spot they began at to grade with traffic. It's a safer practice, but not as efficient.

Wicht has only received a few questions wondering why graders are deadheading more than they used to, but his department is anticipating more criticism, so they've put the regulation on the county website so residents can see why the graders will be operating less efficiently.

Wicht said his office is anticipating small increases in fuel and labor costs with the new rule.

While the four grader operators who maintain the county's 256 miles of gravel roads do so with minimal oversight from the highway department, Wicht has informed each of them of the new safety standards and consequences of violating them.

He anticipates no issues in enforcing the new policy.

Graders can still work against the traffic with the proper road work signs in place, Wicht said .

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