By GAYLE WEBER

gweber@dailynews.net

Talk of a federal stimulus package to improve and create public infrastructure spurred Ellis County commissioners Monday to begin forming a list of projects to be considered for the money.

The county has two projects that will be completed later this year and three more in various stages of engineering, but Commissioner Glenn Diehl, in his first meeting, said he would like to see more under way.

"I'd like to get some preliminary engineering done," Diehl said. "I think it can certainly be cost-effective for us if the money comes available. I think there's going to be a lot of federal money for a year or two and then it will dry up."

Reports have indicated President-elect Barack Obama is preparing a stimulus package that includes about $350 billion for repairing and building public infrastructure. Cities, counties and states could be eligible for the money.

Diehl said he's heard a lot about "shovel-ready projects," and while the definition of the term is vague, Public Works Administrator Mike Graf said getting the engineering started on new projects would be a step in the right direction.

"Depending on the timing and what all strings are attached to the stimulus, I don't know what that level needs to be," Graf said.

The stimulus package is targeted at completing projects in two stages. The 180-day projects would be let and under contract during the first 180 days after Congress passes the stimulus package. The same process would be used for one-year projects.

Graf said engineering on the now-completed Saline River bridge and the Eighth Street bridge, scheduled for construction this year, took about six months to complete.

In preparing for any money received through a stimulus package, the county will have to evaluate how much money was set aside for engineering fees this year. Beyond that, Graf said, the county would have to find other ways to fund it.

"Especially for smaller projects, a big chunk of the cost is engineering or design work," Commissioner Perry Henman said.

Diehl said he would like to see traffic counts on the road and bridge projects the county will consider for the stimulus money.

"One of the things I read is that they don't want the bridges-to-nowhere-type of projects," Diehl said. " ... I don't think our federal government's going to be concerned about our bridge that sees 10 cars a day. They might be concerned with a thousand cars a day.

"If we can get a traffic count on some of these roads, maybe that can be a way we can get some federal funding."

Graf said the county hasn't been able to keep up with traffic counts on all the main thoroughfares for a lack of manpower but said he would compile all the numbers he could for next week's meeting.

Commissioners didn't identify any specific projects they would want to get started in order to be eligible for the stimulus money, but Graf presented some options.

Scheduled for construction this year are the Eighth Street bridge and re-paving 2 miles of Old U.S. Highway 40 east of Canterbury Road.

The Eighth Street bridge is being paid for by the county through a state loan. Commissioners said getting federal funding for the almost $600,000 cost of construction on the bridge could be the No. 1 priority, in order to free up funds for other projects.

Already under engineering contracts are a bridge replacement southwest of Walker on Antonino Road, a bridge replacement just west of Ellis and a bridge replacement on Old Highway 40 near the Russell County line.

The next projects on the county's priority list include a bridge on Smoky Hill River Road north of Schoenchen and the 12th Street bridge in Hays.

Graf also suggested looking at the recommendations from the 2007 biennial bridge inspections, which included three bridge replacements not on the county's radar yet.

Commissioners likely will discuss a more complete project list next week, including some cost estimates.

Initially, Graf said he thought the county would be lucky to receive any stimulus money.

"They'd like to talk about some regional projects versus those specific to local agencies," Graf said. However, preparing for any available money would benefit the county.

"This is for our long-range purposes and in case we have any specific funding come available in the near future," Graf said.

The state has identified two projects in northwest Kansas that could be considered for completion if stimulus money is received.

Placing 2-foot shoulders on K-23 in Gove County is on the list of preservation projects. The highway was identified as a concern for drivers during a regional meeting last fall in which many people stated the road was narrow, especially for the amount of tractor-trailer traffic it receives. The project is estimated to cost $6 million.

In Sherman County, the state wants to improve about a 15-mile stretch of Interstate 70 from the Colorado state line to Caruso at a cost of $50 million.