Another hearing could be on tap to vacate part of 115th Street

The Adair County Board of Supervisors may revisit vacating a small portion of 115th Street south of Stuart after further discussion at a recent meeting.

The board has repeatedly discussed the short stretch of road west of Highway 25. Adjacent landowners Dan Deluhery and Mark Earhart first requested the closure. They want the road closed because several vehicles have gotten stuck in recent months due to poor conditions. Rock, ditching and widening would all be required if the road remains open. Construction going on nearby on Stuart Road enhanced concern.

During a March 11 meeting, Leonard Shelley said traffic in that area could increase. With another truck stop possibly on the horizon for Stuart, Shelley questioned whether the road should remain open for farm equipment and other traffic seeking to bypass the busy Stuart interstate interchange.

Landowners did not want traffic diverted by the construction to get stuck. The supervisors’ initial decision was to hold off on vacating the road and talk about it another time.

“The landowners came back because they still feel it should be vacated and wanted to see if they could change the board’s mind earlier rather than later,” Adair County Auditor Mandy Berg said after last Tuesday’s meeting. “The board was planning on revisiting it down the road, but I think the landowners want a resolution sooner than that. It sounds like some of the supervisors are for it and some are thinking they’re not.”

The supervisors were expected to take up the agenda item again this week, possibly by setting another public hearing.