Flooding causes culvert replacement in Cape Girardeau County

August rains and flooding have caused Cape Girardeau County officials to deal with multiple reports of washed-out roads and culverts.

For County Road 392 near the Bollinger/Cape Girardeau County line, commissioners recently approved an "emergency" request from the county's highway department to buy a large culvert from Contech Engineered Solutions to replace one destroyed by flooding. Purchase price was $15,523.20.

Floodwaters swept through Glen Allen, Missouri, on Aug. 14, compounding earlier damage and loss of life April 4 from an EF2 tornado in the same Bollinger County hamlet of 57 residents.

Five people died as a result of the twister.

Purchase approved

Commissioners have OK'd buying a new John Deere 6120M tractor for $115,006.50 and a 2024 Tiger Bengal-22 mount mower for $80,687.92.

The purchases are on a Missouri Department of Transportation contract and are slated to replace similar equipment a decade old.

Because of continued supply chain issues, county officials don't expect to receive the new tractor and mower until May.

The equipment will be paid for out of the county's 2024 highway budget.