Marshall County Highway Department crews are working on reclaiming roads, but Superintendent Jason Peters told the commissioners this week that they’re not going to be aggressive with the 2020 Road Program this year.
The April distribution to both the Motor Vehicle Highway and the Local Roads and Streets funds look to be on track, but Peters is worried about May, June, July and August distributions which will reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said with the decrease in gas prices and usage, the department could see a 30 percent loss in revenue in May with a 50 percent loss in the months of June and July. The impact still may be felt in August.
Depending on the decision of Governor Eric Holcomb and the Marshall County Commissioners on opening up the economy at the state and local levels will dictate how funding will fall for the highway department.
Peters says it takes about $2.7 million to run the department with payroll and supplies and he’s not sure where the funds will end up at the end of the year.
For now, Peters is not adjusting the 2020 Road Program but will work on projects as they fall on the schedule. Whatever doesn’t get done this year will be pushed to next year. Some projects may be postponed beyond that.
