Douglas County motorists should expect to see more deputies on a busy stretch of road under construction near the Clinton Lake Dam.

Douglas County commissioners at their Wednesday meeting were told the sheriff’s department will send additional deputies to the area near County Route 458 and East 850 Road to watch for speeders. County Route 458 is under construction, and although East 850 Road is not listed as a detour, the road has seen an increase in traffic as motorists avoid the construction zone.

Neighbors in the area submitted a petition to county commissioners asking for a crackdown on drivers who are speeding and driving recklessly on the narrow, winding road. Douglas County Undersheriff Jim Martin told commissioners that his department would make it a priority to do more patrols in the area. Neighbors asked for a deputy on site about five hours per day. Martin said that may not be possible, but the amount of law enforcement presence in the area will be noticeable.

“The deputies know they are to be there during certain times of the day as much as they can,” Martin said. “I told them to make some car stops, and if they think they need to issue a ticket, that is what they will do.”

Public Works Director Keith Browning said the problems on East 850 Road may be short-lived. He said in about a week the road project will shift into a different phase, which will include the road being closed to through traffic.

The entire road project on County Route 458, however, will take a while to complete. Current estimates call for the work — which includes culvert replacements and curve realignments — to last into next year, although the road is expected to be open to traffic in September.

In other business, county commissioners unanimously approved an amendment to a conditional use permit related to a rural airstrip south of Eudora. Commissioners previously had approved the permit for the airstrip, which is used by a handful of individuals who fly ultralight aircraft. The amendment approved Wednesday allows a driveway to cross the airstrip to serve two homes near the intersection of North 1100 and East 2000 roads.

Commissioners, however, did hear from one neighbor, Mark Nicolay, who said the ultralight aircraft flew too low and had become a nuisance. He urged commissioners to take action, but said he would also file a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration.