County Accepts County Road 56 Project and Approves Up To $200,000 for Chip Seal Work

DeKalb County commissioners accepted final inspection and recommended acceptance for the County Road 56 Federal Lake Project and approved an authorization to move up to $200,000 into highway operations to finish planned chip-seal work this construction season.

Nut graf: County engineers reported that field inspections for the County Road 56 project are complete and recommended final acceptance to close most contract obligations. Separately, highway staff asked for up to $200,000 in additional funds to finish scheduled chip seal work; the commissioners approved authority for staff to spend up to that amount and to manage transfers as year-end budgets require.

Details: Highway officials noted retainage and final adjustments remain under state highway financial reconciliation but said work is essentially complete and recommended commissioners sign the Indiana Department of Transportation acceptance forms to move contract closeout forward. Commissioners voted to accept the project and sign necessary forms.

Regarding chip seal work, staff said freeze-and-thaw and other maintenance this year reduced available funds; board members authorized moving up to $200,000 to finish planned chip seal projects. The county engineer said contractors tentatively planned to start paving on Aug. 18 and the federally funded community crossings paving would need completion by Sept. 15 to avoid liquidated damages; commissioners said they will hold contractors accountable to the contract schedule.

Outcome: Commissioners passed motions accepting the County Road 56 project documentation and authorized up to $200,000 to be allocated to highway operations to complete scheduled chip seal work, with staff to notify commissioners later about the specific account transfers.