Marshall County community members have voiced their opinions about the conditions of roads in the county for several years. Despite many complaints, Marshall County Highway Superintendent Jason Peters told the Marshall County Commissioners Monday morning that significant progress has been made on the conditions of roads over the last several years.
A resident from Tippecanoe Township asked why roads are in bad repair in that part of the county and why the issues have not been addressed. Commission President Kevin Overmyer said certain roads in that area are on the schedule for attention in this year’s road program.
Peters commented that when the county began with the PASER rating system around 2015, about 85 to 86 percent of the roads were bad. PASER uses visual inspection to evaluate pavement surface conditions. When assessed correctly, PASER ratings provide a basis for comparing the quality of roadway segments. Peters said the latest PASER rating system showed that about 48 percent of roads are bad in Marshall County which he believes shows improvement.
Peters said that the focus is on preventative maintenance.
“Keeping good roads in good condition – we can’t drop everything and do just strictly bad roads. You will never even come close to catching up,” stated Peters.
The county has over 900 miles of roads to review each year and Peters said it take a while to get there with resources and time.
Peters continued, “I completely understand the public’s frustration. I get that 100 percent. The only thing I can say is we are working our way to doing the best we can based upon what we’ve got. It is going to take time to get to that point. It isn’t going to happen overnight. It’s not going to happen over two to three years. It’s not going to happen over five years. We’re talking 10 to 15 years out. Based upon how we do things out at the highway right now, paving what we’re paving with and using materials that we have, it is stretching those dollars to do more with a very quality service too.”
In a previous report, a proposed use of a portion of American Rescue Plan Act funds would help with the road program in 2023 and 2024 along with equipment purchases to assist the Highway Department.
With fuel costs wreaking havoc on highway budgets this year, the 2022 Road Program will likely see some adjustments from what the commissioners approved at the beginning of the year. Peters previously said fuel costs have gone up 100 percent. Currently, 27 miles of chip and seal are planned for the season, along with 29 miles of double or triple chip and seal, and 10 miles of paving.
