By Josh Bergeron

josh.bergeron@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Rowan County commissioners on Monday could ask an engineering company to begin the process of installing casings for water and sewer lines under Interstate 85.

At 3 p.m., commissioners are scheduled discuss an $87,000 contract to give engineering firm McGill Associates the ability to survey an area near the interstate and design water and sewer line casings. For more than a year, McGill Associates has handled engineering and planning work for planned water and sewer line extensions.

Commissioners will meet on the second floor of the county administration building — 130 West Innes St.

If commissioners approve the contract, McGill Associates would focus its survey and design efforts on an area of Interstate 85 where construction crews are scheduled to build an interstate exit. Now, the area — between the existing Old Beatty Ford Road and Daughtery Road — is mostly empty fields. Construction crews will build a new road and later construct an exit.

Maps of the area show a single water casing being placed at roughly the same spot as the proposed I-85 exit. Sewer casings would sit on either side of the exit. A third sewer casing would be built just south of the existing Old Beatty Ford Road.

County Manager Aaron Church said commissioners will consider the contract on Monday so that the water and sewer casings can be placed in the ground at the same time as work to widen I-85 from two to four lanes.

“The general consensus is that it would be the most appropriate time to do it,” Church said.

He said it’s likely that costs to install water and sewer casings would be greater after the completion of I-85’s widening.

Once installed, the water and sewer casings would be empty until Rowan County commissioners are ready to extend water and sewer lines to the east side of I-85.

In other business on Wednesday’s agenda:

• County commissioners are scheduled to accept a $2.96 million loan from the N.C. Division of Water Infrastructure for water and sewer line extensions in the Dukeville area.

The loan comes with a maximum interest rate of 1.53 percent and would need approval from the Local Government Commission before it’s finalized.

The loan would fund a different water line extension than the one planned near the I-85 exit in southern Rowan County.

• County commissioners will receive a report from the Child Protection and Fatality Prevention Team.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.

• County commissioners will hold a hearing and considering awarding a conditional use permit to Scottie Goodman for a 1,440-square-foot storage building at 457 Faith Farm Road.

The new building will be used to store a boat, jet skis, cars and other personal items.

• County commissioners will review applications for voluntary agricultural district programs.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.