Codington County Approves Over $150,000 in Rural Infrastructure Grants

Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - Codington County is moving forward with several major rural infrastructure projects after commissioners approved a new round of grant funding on Tuesday.

The commissioners authorized $143,955.20 in Rural Access Infrastructure Funds (RAIF) for two separate projects in Kranzburg Township. The grant covers 80% of the total project cost of $179,944, with the township responsible for the remaining $35,992.40.

The South Dakota Legislature created the RAIF program to assist townships with the repair and replacement of culverts and bridges on secondary roads. County officials noted that before this latest round of approvals, the county had approximately $360,243 remaining in its infrastructure fund.

Waverly Township Project Adjustment

Commissioners met with Dan Thyen, a Waverly Township supervisor, to discuss funding adjustments for a recently completed culvert project on 465th Avenue.

Thyen explained that while one township project came in $6,149 under budget due to an efficient removal process, a second project encountered unexpected complications. When contractors began work on the second site, they discovered that existing culverts were split, requiring additional labor and materials to repack and stabilize the structure.

The final cost for the 465th Avenue project reached $58,474.38, which was significantly higher than the original $40,000 estimate. To cover the difference, the commission approved an additional $14,779.50 in RAIF funding.