(KAIR)--Questions are posed regarding the state of an Atchison County road that recently underwent maintenance by the County Road and Bridge Department.

At issue is the condition of Ottawa Road, which was recently milled and partially resurfaced.

However, a group of six residents, who reside in the Mount Pleasant and Walnut Townships, questioned why the condition quickly deteriorated following the start of the work.

One group member said, We finally think we're going to get a good solid road. But, within the first mile, it's breaking up again.

Road and Bridge Superintendent Seth Howard was present when the questions were posed during the July 5 meeting.

He explained that the problem stems from a base in poor condition, with soft spots found after the milling was conducted.

“What we're doing now, is digging them out, if they're still wet, we're digging them a lot deeper,” Howard said. “We're packing some rock int here. If we feel like we're having problems with rock staying, we're pouring concrete over it. The majority of the time, we're digging down to about a foot, and it's solid. We should be pretty good to go.”

Howard told the concerned residents the county plans to conduct ditch work, once resurfacing is complete, to allow for proper drainage.

Because the road apparently has lacked a solid base, an engineer will conduct an inspection in the future, with the price of establishing a solid base as yet undetermined.

Howard, according to the unofficial minutes of the meeting, hopes that the outcome of the project will be satisfactory, and will hold up, until the County's budget can be addressed. He indicated a possible, future bond issue to fund a complete rebuild of the road's base.