County gearing up for roadwork this summer

Irregular weather has kept some work by the Putnam County Highway Department at bay this spring, but the department is readying itself for a summer season with a variety of road projects.

County Highway Co-Supervisor Jim Smith told the Banner Graphic this week that crews have been busy recently with routine patching jobs and ditching.

The next step for highway workers will come with the county's paver up and running in the coming week.

With the machine going, crews will be able to perform strip patching work as well as chip and seal work in a number of locations.

The department began the chip and seal process in a number of locations last year, meaning these sites are due to be sealed in 2013.

The major jobs of the summer will come a bit later with resurfacing in a number of locations.

The top three county resurfacing priorities for the summer are:

* County Road 900 East (Hendricks County Line), north of State Road 240;

* County Road 1000 North, east of County Road 250 East (east of Carpentersville);

* County Road 800 East between 400 South and 600 South (north of Belle Union).

In addition to these jobs, the highway recently received authorization from the Putnam County Council to use hazardous waste funds to pave two stretches of road in Russell Township.

The county will perform the work in the area of Bridge 11 over Ramp Creek in central Russell Township, while Wabash Valley Asphalt will do the work on 1.11 miles of County Line Road south of State Road 236.

In spite of recently receiving word the highway department would be receiving more than $200,000 less from the County Economic Development Income Tax than last year, highway officials are determined to do whatever work they can with what they have.

"We're not going to be coming to the council for additional funds," Smith said recently.

In addition to these jobs, Wabash Valley is expected to begin the $1.5 million Edgelea subdivision repaving project.