Adams County public works updates: culverts completed, bridge work progressing; permits for gas and broadband service approved

Adams County engineering and highway staff updated the commissioners on several ongoing road and drainage projects and sought routine permits for utilities.

The county's engineering update noted progress on a bridge project at 650 West/25 South (referred to as Ridge 180) where foundations and arch placement are scheduled to follow curing of footings. Staff warned the project would not likely finish early but said progress was good.

A culvert identified as C-29 was replaced and the road re-opened the following Saturday after the contractor (identified in the transcript as John Ish at Munich Excavating) completed the work; staff said a concrete patch was poured Friday and the road opened Saturday. Staff said ditch cleaning will follow before placing the final cross-pipe elevation and that the county has a ditch-cleaning contract in place.

Staff reported that all small-structure projects for 2025 are complete and showed a photograph of culvert O-29. For the Bridal 93 guardrail HSIP project, staff said requests for consultant proposals were due that week and scoring of consultant proposals was expected next week.

Permits: The commissioners approved two utility permits. One was for NIPSCO (doing business as NIPSCO) at 417 East 900 North to install a 1-inch gas service from the existing main. The other was for CNS Networks doing business as Brightspeed to install 136 feet of 2-inch conduit on County Road 950 South between 27 and Rainbow Road. Both permits were moved and seconded and approved by the board.

Additional highway items discussed included routine mowing and patching work, a resident complaint about high grass and weeds at the intersection of 3 East and 3 North (staff said they would inspect and treat the area), and enforcement of no-through truck route restrictions on 100 East and 200 East following the closure of Route 33.

Nut graf: The public works updates primarily described routine project progress and maintenance activities; the permits approved are standard utility installations that county staff said will proceed under existing procedures.

Supporting details and context: Staff identified contractors and local staff who visited job sites (Mike Worling was on site during the C-29 work). Commissioners and staff asked clarifying questions about the location and sequencing of work (for example, that pipes at the bridge site will be installed after the arch placement and foundation curing). For the HSIP guardrail project, staff said consultant proposals were expected and scoring would follow.

Ending: Commissioners accepted the updates and approved the two utility permits; staff noted follow-ups would be scheduled for consultant scoring and routine maintenance tasks.