Roads, Enchanted Hills Grant Topics For Commissioners
Posted
Daniel Riordan-driordan@timesuniononline.com
As winter turns to spring, road work in the county will increase.
While the county highway department has been patching potholes since January, there are more projects looming.
According to County Highway Superintendent Dennis Pletcher, four county roads will be ground up into gravel then hard surfaced next spring.At this morning's County Commissioners meeting, Pletcher laid out the work that will be done.
The following roads will be ground up back to gravel, then hard surfaced after it's allowed to settle over the winter:
- CR 1000E from Adams Road to CR 250N
- CR 775E from CR 500S to CR 650S
- CR 900W from the railroad crossing to CR 500S
- CR 1050 W from CR 1350N to the north county line.
Pletcher said people who live along those roads will still be able to access them while work is being done.
He also said allowing the roads to settle over the winter will make the roads stronger when they are resurfaced in the spring.
Pletcher also addressed Old 30E.
Previously, Pletcher and the county commissioners were critical of E & B Paving for their work along Old 30E.
Recently, the county highway department, county commissioners, E & B Paving as well as the Indiana Department of Transportation met to discuss problems on Old 30E.
Both Pletcher and the county commissioners said E & B Paving was a willing partner to fix the problems along Old 30E.
"All sides of this discussion were cooperative," said County Commissioner Ron Truex. "There was no conflict. Everyone agreed that there was a problem. It's going to be awhile but we'll get there."
E & B Paving marked 50 problem spots along Old 30E that will be repaired once the weather warms up to allow for better conditions to lay asphalt.
Pletcher also lauded his crew for their work on such roads as Wooster Road and CR 700E.
Bob Murphy led a public hearing concerning a grant to help Enchanted Hills fix its storm drainage issues.
Murphy said that 88.5 percent of Enchanted Hills residents are low to moderate income.
The area is applying for a $1 million grant that requires no local match.
Murphy said there a 140 applications being submitted for $25 million.
Steve Dixon, Enchanted Hills board president, said the area is definitely low income and needs improvement but residents aren't able to afford fixing it themselves.
Murphy said only county-owned and controlled land would be used to create a retention pond.
Murphy also said Turkey Creek Sewer District would donate land to the county for the project.
