Commissioners agree to cover right-of-way costs to protect federal bridge slot; approve engineering testing for RWE project

Blackford County commissioners on Oct. 20 approved two infrastructure actions after hearing the highway department’s report on bridge damage and regional project needs.

Highway staff (John, recorded as S3) reported extensive guardrail damage to Bridge 14 on County Road 500 North and said Butler Fairman conducted an inspection. Staff described engineers’ advice that funding the full right-of-way acquisition now would extend the schedule window and reduce the risk the project would be bumped from the federal-aid construction slot. The transcript reports the total right-of-way bill as $22,007.30, with the county’s 20% share under standard splits listed as $4,546; staff said covering the full bill would cost the county an additional approximately $18,184 but would protect a roughly $2.3 million construction allocation.

"If we put the whole bill, we can go from 6 months up to 13 months to be able to start it," S3 said, arguing the step would preserve the bridge’s place in the federal program. S6 moved that the county cover the total right-of-way acquisition costs so the project remains on schedule; S4 seconded and the board approved the motion.

Separately, the board approved a request by highway staff to allow American Engineering Testing to perform additional pavement sampling and subsurface surveys on roads associated with the RWE project. S3 described a map showing areas already tested (blue) and proposed additional sampling (green); S4 moved and S6 seconded the authorization.

Commissioners said the county intends to repair Bridge 14 guardrail and related structural elements before winter and to take proactive steps to keep federally supported bridge projects on schedule.