Benton County declares farm road emergency

The Benton County Commission declared a state of emergency on farm roads in the Rattlesnake Mountain and Horse Heaven Hills areas after spring maintenance apparently left some critical roads in disrepair.

Matt Rasmussen, the county’s engineer, said work crews have been repairing the gravel roads and should complete their work by the time local wheat crops are ready for harvest in July.

An emergency declaration means the county can skip its usual bidding requirements to speed up work. Rasmussen said that probably won’t be necessary, but is a good backup plan if the county doesn’t meet its deadline. Crews are working this week in the Horse Heaven Hills and will circle back to the Rattlesnake Mountain area when they’re done.

The repair work is not eligible for federal emergency funding.

This story was originally published June 6, 2017 at 7:06 PM with the headline "Benton County declares farm road emergency."