Published: March 21, 2008 01:09 pm      

Highway report for Cass County

Highlights from a report to county commissioners by the county highway engineer, Jodi Coblentz:

• Clearing of right of way for widening 600E from U.S. 24 to the Wabash River is complete. Utilities were scheduled to be moved last week, but they were postponed by wet conditions. Construction is expected to be finished by November. This is paid with 80 percent federal funds and a 20 percent match from the county wheel tax.

• The county highway department will be clearing trees from the south side of Chase Road in April. Exact dates will be given later, but the road will be closed for one day. Coblentz said the trees, located on the south side of the road, will not be cut down for widening purposes but to get rid of limbs that hang over the road.

• The complete deck replacement for the Broadripple bridge began this week. County Road 450E is now closed and will remain so until Aug. 8. R.L. McCoy is the contractor for the project.

• The Lewisburg bridge over the Wabash River is on schedule to be open to traffic in April. The crew for Jack Isom Construction is working 9-hour days, six days a week. Coblentz said workers were moving quickly to complete the bridge rail. The work to apply gunite, a mixture of cement and water sprayed over steel reinforcement, should begin soon, depending on the weather. The work requires temperatures of 40 degrees or above. Coblentz said even if the gunite underneath is not 100 percent complete, the bridge can still be opened.

Coblentz asked the commissioners for a positive recommendation on an additional appropriation of $200,000. The money was available last year but due to the deadline extension, it rolled back into the general highway fund. The commissioners passed the request on to the county council with a positive recommendation.

• The commissioners appropriated $50,000 to the federally funded Safe Routes to School project in Walton. Coblentz said the money was 100 percent reimbursable, but she needs money up front to cover engineering fees. As the project is under way, construction costs are covered by INDOT. The sidewalk will go along Ind. 218 and U.S. 35 between the library and the school.

• Coblentz asked for an appropriation of $225,000 to complete the 2008 work plan, which includes 110 miles of chip and seal and about 2,000 tons of pug throughout the county, along with paving in New Waverly. Coblentz said if the money was not committed to the work plan, she would have to scale back the projects. The funds would also go to cover the increased cost of oil. The commissioners approved the request.

• Commissioner Dave Arnold asked for an evaluation of the county roads in the northern section of the county affected by flooding.

• There is 100 tons unmixed salt on the pad and the salt barn is full.

• The county highway department has used approximately half of its fuel budget for 2008. Diesel was at $3.50 a gallon last time it was purchased. Coblentz said the trucks use between 1,000 and 1,200 gallons a day when plowing snow, something that was done often this winter. She expressed her concern about not budgeting for such high fuel prices. Commissioner Arnold asked that vehicles be kept at the highway department overnight.

• One pipe crew is working as weather permits.

• Workers are trying to repair damage to gravel roads. The department is now one person short, but his territory is being covered.

• Crews are out patching.