State Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston assured lawmakers during interim meetings Tuesday at the Capitol that the Division of Highways is continuing to “plan their work and work their plan.”
Wriston touted his agency’s accomplishments while emphasizing that the catalyst for them is a return to to the agency’s core mission as a maintenance organization. He noted that there is a maintenance plan in every highway district in the state, plans are available to be viewed online, and the agency has hit its goals of near 100 percent completion in each district.
Wriston noted that his agency is always mindful of being responsive to the public because that is who they serve. To that end, he told the committee that mowing along secondary roads has become a top priority because it was the number one complaint in recent months. Beginning in 2024 the agency plans to purchase a large brush mower for each district and assign one person the duty of mowing nothing but secondary roads full-time.
Wriston mentioned that canopy trimming of overhanging trees has become a priority in recent years as trimming back trees goes hand in hand with making mowing and road maintenance easier.
