The Marshall County Commissioners heard from Highway Department Superintendent Jason Peters on upcoming projects.
He explained that the first round of INDOT’s Community Crossings Matching Grant projects for 2023 is coming up in January. The commissioners asked Peters to put together a list and then include a list of additional paving projects just like he did at the beginning of 2022. Peters commented that it does maximize the county’s funding for such projects.
He also presented a draft of the 2023 Road Program to the commissioners Monday morning and noted that all prices for materials have increased. No prices have come down from inflation.
He previewed that some chip and seal operations on the schedule will be done to roads recently paved, but the idea is preservation.
Peters commented, “They’ll still look like they’re in pretty good shape, but, in theory, they’re probably due for that seal coating to keep them in that shape. The whole idea is to keep good roads good. That’s the base of the road itself. The seal is basically your wear surface and filling it in.”
Anything that did not get done in the 2022 Road Program was put on the list for 2023. The commissioners will review the list and make adjustments, if proposed, and approve the 2023 Road Program in a future meeting.
In other news, Peters will give a presentation on projects submitted in the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) application for 2028 on January 17. The application includes 80/20 funding requests for Bridge 88 (12th Road), Bridge 108 (7th Road) and a truck route on Linden Road from State Road 10 to 17th Road. Additionally, Peters said the bridge asset management plan was presented to INDOT and it was approved.
