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A resolution to consider opening section line roads and overturning a resolution from March 2003 due to deviation from Washington County Road Standards in District 2 was reconsidered on Tuesday during a Washington County Commissioners' meeting.

Commissioner Mike Bouvier said they have a section line road that is considered a drive right now that is off of 2400 Road. He said if you were to go east at an intersection with 2400 Road, you would be on 4030 Drive, which is approximately 1400 feet long.

Eight families live in the area. When explaining their work, Commissioner Bouvier said they would stay on the section line road to a culvert that is a foot in length. Crews would look to expand the culvert to three feet to help alleviate previous flooding in the area.

Commissioner Bouvier said all eight constituents that live in the 4030 Drive area have signed paperwork to approve the raising of the road. He said the road will remain the same size so ditches can be put into place to help water flow into the three-foot horn.

To Commissioner Bouvier, it is the responsibility of the county's Commissioners to open section line roads where it may help people living in the area as long as it is legal under State of Oklahoma statutes. Under Title 69, Sections 646 and 1201 for Oklahoma Roads and Bridges, it states that all section lines in the Oklahoma are open and manned by the respected Board of County Commissioners (i.e. Washington County Commissioners) for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation for Public Use. Therefore, section line roads are declared public highways.

The item would be approved.

For clarity, District 1 Commissioner Mitch Antle said the reason this particular section line road received a "Drive" suffix is because it deviates past the approximately 1400 feet of roadway. He said the fact that it is on section line is what gives the Washington County Commissioners' the authority to manage the mentioned portion that is on the section line. What Commissioner Bouvier and District 2 is getting set to do is what Commissioner Antle called "an obligation" and "something that they should be doing."