Endicott Clay, Jefferson County moving forward on Endicott Clay Road project

ENDICOTT - One of Jefferson County's largest employers is looking to move forward on a project that would give them better access to a major highway.

Endicott Clay Products, which is eight miles southeast of Fairbury, employs 305 people and is still looking to expand its operation. With that, they've been in need of a newer, safer road to link their plant to Nebraska Highway 15.

Endicott Clay President and CEO Ryan Parker told the Jefferson County Commissioners Tuesday that having better access to Highway 15 will especially benefit the truckers coming in from all directions.

"If we end up having the road go to the west to Highway 15, that would be very doable from a logistics standpoint," Parker said. "Most of the trucks coming in will be coming from I-135 to I-80, I-70 and up. So, Highway 15 will work for us."

The road between Endicott Clay and the highway is just over three miles long. Parker says linking the road west will reduce flooding concerns from the Little Blue River.

The current road, which is narrow in places and has quite a few pot holes and washboards, has sustained flooding damage several times over the last few years.

The new road will cost about $2.8 million. Most of that will likely be funded through grants from the Economic Development Authority, the Nebraska Department of Transportation and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. The county already has $240,000 available in their own fund to put toward this project.

Jefferson County Engineer Tim Farmer will meet with the Nebraska Classification and Standards Board in the coming weeks to officially present plans for the road.

"Everyone in this room wants this to happen," Jefferson County Commissioner chairman Mark Schoenrock said. "We're all behind this."