Noble County discusses wage study, INDOT delays and approves road, bridge and striping contracts
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Summary
Commissioners reviewed highway staffing and wage issues, heard that INDOT environmental-review backlogs could delay Riley Road by a year, approved bridge inspection and LPA vouchers, and authorized thermoplastic road-safety striping for about $3,350.
Noble County officials on Jan. 12 reviewed a string of transportation projects and staffing concerns, approving several contracts and flagging a possible one-year delay to Riley Road because of state environmental-review backlogs.
A highway representative (Speaker 5) told the board the department needs "regionally competitive wages" to recruit and retain drivers, noting the average county CDL driver is about 52 years old and younger workers are not being hired at scale. The presenter argued the county may seek a third-party salary audit and prepare budget requests tied to the study’s findings.
The county administrator reported that a consultant, Kent Erwin, provided a ballpark estimate of $40,000–$50,000 and a seven-month timeline for a wage-and-benefit study intended to inform 2027 budget decisions.
On project delivery, staff raised an urgent scheduling risk: INDOT’s environmental-review backlog has lengthened review times to seven to nine months on some files, which could push Riley Road’s right‑of‑way clearances and construction letting back by a year. "Project may get pushed back a year," a county official said. The board approved the INDOT right‑of‑way contract for Riley Road and related consultant agreements while acknowledging the timing risk.
Several procurement actions were taken under consent: approval of LPA vouchers (including invoice 110705 for $2,342 and invoice 198286 for $1,967.88), authorization of replacement/letting title sheets for an Elkhart River replacement plan, and review of bridge inspection proposals for 2027–2030. The board also approved a final phase of sidewalk improvements for $47,873.
For road safety, the board approved a contract with Accurate Striping to install three thermoplastic road-safety markings at an approved amount of $3,350; staff said durability would likely last several years and weather would guide scheduling.
What happens next: staff will coordinate with INDOT on environmental review timing, proceed with contract oversight for bridges and sidewalks, and bring any recommended wage-study contracting back to the board for a budget decision.
