Published: May 09, 2008 09:54 am         

Highway report for Cass County

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

• The top section of the Lewisburg bridge is finished. “I can finally say the bridge is open to traffic,” Coblentz said. The bridge is not complete, though. The crew of Jack Isom Construction has to apply gunite, a mixture of cement and water sprayed over steel reinforcement, to the bridge’s underside, put in stone and install the original plaques. Coblentz said she has received many calls from people inquiring as to the whereabouts of the plaques. They will be placed back on the bridge, she said. Once a completion date is established, Coblentz will schedule a ribbon cutting. Commissioner Dave Arnold asked about piles of sand and stone near the bridge construction. Coblentz said most had been cleaned up and the rest would be removed soon.

• The complete deck replacement on the Broadripple bridge is moving along well, Coblentz said. R.L. McCoy is the contractor for the project. Workers poured the north half of deck last week. The project is slightly ahead of schedule. The bridge, located on 450E over the Eel River, is scheduled to be closed until Aug. 8.

• The bridge on Bartlett Street over Goose Creek is in need of repair a year after it was finished. A portion of the sidewalk washed out and heaved during the winter flooding. Coblentz said the sidewalk on the north side of the bridge dropped about three inches. LaPorte Construction is scheduled to begin replacing about 30 feet of the sidewalk this week. The cost of the repair will be turned in under FEMA.

• Paving in New Waverly should be finished up this week.

• Commissioners declined Coblentz’ recommendation to accept Sem Materials bid for oil. It was the only bid received. Arnold said he was not ready to do that.

• Pipes have been replaced and ditching and berming is complete on 375N, a road that the county received a petition to turn from gravel to hard surface. Stone will be added. It will be ready for chip and seal in July.

• Pipes have been replaced on 275S. Berming and ditching is scheduled to start this week.

• Patching continues throughout the county.

• The grinder is still awaiting delivery of replacement parts. The motor that failed was suppose to be in last week, it still not here, Coblentz said. Once it is up and running again, the county highway department is going to grind up and repair 900S.

• A stakeholders meeting should be held sometime this month to discuss widening 300S at Ind. 25 near the ethanol plant. Those expected to attend include The Andersons, commissioners and council. The purpose of the meeting is to make sure all parties involved are on the same page, Coblentz said. The road will be rebuilt in a way that will accommodate the large number of heavy trucks accessing the ethanol plant. The project can begin as early as the first of June.

• Commissioner Jim Sailors asked Coblentz who was responsible for the cost of culverts, which sparked a discussion on getting property owners to share costs if they want their road repaired before it becomes an emergency repair, like 900S. Coblentz said the county had not done this in the past, but she would like it considered. The approach would be similar to gravel road conversions and property owners dedicating right of way. “We might be able to apply the same tactic to rehabilitated roads,” Coblentz said. The commissioners asked Coblentz to draft a formal policy for consideration.