New stop signs and pavement markings will soon replace older signs and faded road paint at several intersections in Freeborn County.

Freeborn County commissioners approved a contract to install enhanced signage, which includes stop signs and pavement markings, at a total of 61 locations in the county this fall.

The commissioners on Tuesday authorized a bid of $583,521 from A&H Contracting.

According to County Engineer Sue Miller, Freeborn County applied on behalf of six counties in MnDOT District 6 for these improvements at various intersections.

She said that 90 percent of the costs will be paid for by federal funds through the Commissioner of Transportation for Highway Safety Improvement Program. Ten percent of the costs will be covered by local road and bridge dollars.

According to Miller, based on unit bid price, Freeborn County’s portion of the work should be about $12,000.

Miller said that the work will include the replacement of older stop signs with larger, higher grade retro-reflectivity sign faces. The new signs also feature crash-worthy, breakaway sign posts; reflectorized strips on the posts; and replacement of the stop ahead signs and posts.

Also included is installation of the “stop ahead” pavement messaging and stop bars.

Miller said the stop sign installation will take place this fall and pavement marking will be completed in spring 2011.

A similar installation project was completed in 2009, leading up to this project.

“Freeborn County coordinated the intersection improvement project for 2010-11 for the district due to our experience with a similiar standalone Freeborn County federal project in 2009,” Miller said.

She said in the last three years, Freeborn County has been successful in receiving more than $400,000 of federal safety projects for countermeasures proven effective for the types of severe and fatal crashes documented in the county’s 10-year historic crash data.

In other action, the commissioners:

Approved a request from County Ditch Inspector Phil Tennis to repair County Ditch No. 31, which starts in Moscow Township and extends to the north part of Oakland Township. According to Tennis, a large washout over old clay tiling needs repaired. Tennis said the tile, which crosses County Highway 46, was installed prior to the building of the highway. He said no cost has yet been determined on the work. Freeborn Construction will be contracted to repair the area this fall.

Set a final hearing date for the redetermination of benefits for County Ditch No. 71. The hearing will be at 8:45 a.m. on Dec. 14.

Approved an agreement between Freeborn County and Albert Lea to share the costs for the creation of digital images in the county. County Administrator John Kluever said the agreement is with Pictometry International Corp. The city and county will share photography costs equally and will both be permitted to jointly use the digital images. The county portion of the costs will be taken from the technology fund through the Freeborn County Recorder’s Office. The agreement is for three years.

Accepted a 90-day agreement to provide office space and support facilities at no charge to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The agreement will allow FEMA to utilize office space at the Freeborn County Engineer’s Office at 3300 Bridge Ave., Albert Lea, to effectively deliver the public assistance program from the flooding of Sept. 22. FEMA will provide its own office equipment and install and pay for Internet and IT upgrades and service needed for its use.

Passed a resolution to change from Blue Cross Blue Shield senior gold to Blue Cross Blue Shield platinum blue for Minnesota resident retirees effective Jan. 1, 2011.