County asked to pay larger portion of federal aid projects

A new constraint in an already submitted application could put Putnam County out of the running for federal aid bridge funds.

The county had applied for a federal aid project that would bypass Dunbar Covered Bridge, with 80 percent of the cost to be paid by federal funds and 20 paid by the county, meaning the county would be in line to pay approximately $1.53 million of a project estimated to cost $7.65 million.

However, a recent communication from an Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) official to County Engineer Jim Peck indicated that INDOT is asking localities if they would be willing to pay 100 percent of engineering and right-of-way acquisition, increasing the local costs substantially. INDOT Local Program Director Susie Kemp forwarded the information to Peck from Grant Administrator Kathy Eaton-McKalip.

“Kathy has asked that we reach out to all applications to see if they are willing, if awarded, to pay for all PE (professional engineering) and RW (right-of-way) at 100 percent local,” Kemp wrote in an email dated Feb. 14. “The fiscal constraints are currently over budget, and they just don’t see that their (sic) will be funds available for those phases.”

Kemp went on to note that funds would be awarded based on construction phases only.

This would mean that the local financial commitment would far exceed the $1,529,134 submitted by letter from the Putnam County Commissioners to Eaton-McKalip on Nov. 28, 2022 and now total an estimate of $2,105,150 – an increase of $576,016.

While INDOT administers the federal funds and therefore is able to put such parameters on funding, the timing of the letter seemed to upset the commissioners as much as anything, coming three months after the process started and after a project review with INDOT that Peck had deemed successful.

In further communication, Kemp told Peck that if the commissioners said no to paying 100 percent of the initial costs, it would not automatically disqualify the project.

Reading between the lines, though, Peck believes it would put the local project behind the eight ball.

“All indications are, if we say we don’t have it, we won’t be approved,” Peck told the Putnam County Commissioners during their meeting Monday morning.

Commissioner Rick Woodall dismissed the idea, though, knowing local funds are tight and that even an approved federal aid project takes five years to complete.

“I say we tell them we don’t have the money,” Woodall said. “And if they come back, it just sets us back another year. The answer is no. We’re flat broke.”

Commissioner Tom Helmer agreed, while David Berry was absent Monday.

Peck told the Banner Graphic that he later relayed this to Kemp, noting that the current cumulative bridge tax rate and the end-of-year balance do not allow for the funds needed to cover the engineering and right-of-way work.

Peck also said the new standards are likely to apply to a current federal aid application for rehabilitation projects for Bridge 109 over Little Walnut Creek and Bridge 112 over Big Walnut Creek on West Walnut Street Road.

If so, this would also mean an extra $256,000 for each bridge, a total additional cost of $512,000 to the county.

In other bridge news, Peck reported on a pilot program in which Putnam and Hamilton counties have been asked to take part that would establish a bridge maintenance plan for the counties similar to that used by INDOT.

Peck said that in preparing for the program, state officials were shocked that the county is only setting aside about $80,000 annually for bridge maintenance, noting that the number should be more like $500,000 in light of the number and age of bridges in the county.

In order to further prepare the county for such a program, Peck was granted permission to increase the county’s on-call agreement with United Engineering regarding the bridge maintenance plan from $25,000 to $65,000.

In other business:

• The commissioners gave their blessing for Peck to go before the Putnam County Council in March for $9,200 for new traffic counters. The Highway Department’s current counters no longer function.

• Peck reported that he is wanting to work with WTH Engineering to put together a local road safety plan.

“What I’m trying to look at especially is projects along Manhattan Road, where we see a lot of incidents,” Peck said.

If such a plan is approved, Peck said the county could then apply for 90-10 matching grants to improve the safety of the busy road.

Peck is also looking to get an updated version of a study Purdue University did on Manhattan Road several years ago.

The commissioners approved hiring WTH at a cost not to exceed $34,500.