Watertown and Codington County Formalize Shared Road Maintenance Agreement
- Steve Jurrens
- 24 hours ago
- 2 min read
Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - The City Council unanimously approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Codington County for an agreement on shared road maintenance. This formal agreement clearly defines the financial and operational responsibilities for the upkeep of "Joint-jurisdictional Roads".
The resolution, introduced at the November 3, 2025, City Council meeting, was presented by City Engineer Justin Petersen. Petersen noted that the MOU is part of a broader effort to clarify road responsibilities, following previous agreements with area townships.
The MOU specifies that "Maintenance" includes the financial responsibility for the care and upkeep of the roadway, right-of-way, and associated bike paths. This encompasses a wide range of tasks, including:
· Bridges, drainage structures, and culverts.
· Roadway and bike path surfacing, including overlays, chip seals, crack seals, and total reconstruction.
· Right-of-way mowing, pavement markings, signage, fencing, litter control, and snow removal.
A central goal of the MOU is to establish an equitable and efficient system for dividing these joint-jurisdictional roads, which will be updated every two years. This approach is intended to yield cost savings and greater efficiency for taxpayers.
A change highlighted by City Engineer Petersen involves maintenance responsibilities around Lake Kampeska. Petersen pointed out a specific stretch of South Lake Drive, about a mile long, which the County previously maintained.
Under the new MOU, this area is now the City's responsibility, meaning the City of Watertown will assume maintenance of all of South Lake Drive and North Lake Drive surrounding Lake Kampeska. This transfer of responsibility aligns with planned development and the completion of a bike trail in the area next year.
Other areas of shared maintenance responsibility detailed in the MOU include:
· 31st Street NE: The County will maintain the culverts at Willow Creek; the City will handle maintenance, dust control, and plowing of the roadway.
· 60th Street NW: The City will assume maintenance, dust control, and plowing between Dora Avenue and S Lake Drive.
· 14th Avenue NW: The County will assume maintenance, dust control, and plowing between SD Highway 20 and 7th Street NW.
Any modifications to a road required by city annexations that cross or border the County are the financial responsibility of the City or the Developer.
The resolution was approved unanimously.
