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Dubois County commissioners approve equipment tests, hear highway repair updates
Summary
Highway Superintendent Donnie Lueken requested additional repair funds and approval to test a used $30,000 batwing mower; commissioners approved testing and heard reports that paving and bridge work is complete on several county roads and that Crossvine solar site work is planned this fall.
The Dubois County Commissioners on Sept. 2 approved a plan to test a used batwing mower to speed roadside mowing and heard updates on paving and bridge repairs across the county.
Highway Superintendent Donnie Lueken told commissioners a mechanic had located a reliable used tractor and mower for $30,000 and recommended testing it before purchasing a larger, more expensive unit. The board reached consensus to proceed with the test purchase using the current budget. Lueken also said equipment repairs have been above normal this year and requested an additional $60,000 appropriation from the Highway Fund for equipment repair; the request was approved by motion pending County Council approval.
Highway Engineer Levi Leffert reported that paving on CR 400 W (from CR 500 S to Huntingburg city limits) and 1200 S (from US 231 to CR 500 W) is complete, and that the Hickory Grove Road bridge replacement (170 feet north of SR 56) finished Aug. 22 with the roadway reopened. Leffert said work is ongoing to replace a concrete stream crossing on CR 850 W and that another concrete crossing on CR 1025 S will be repaired rather than realigned, noting realignment would limit parcel access and require right-of-way dedication.
Leffert said he and Highway Superintendent Lueken met with representatives from AES on Aug. 19 about the Crossvine solar project; AES plans some site preparation this fall and construction beginning in spring 2026, and an AES open house is planned for November. Leffert also said he has received public comments about a potential closure of CR 250 N in Ireland and will bring a recommendation to the next meeting. He has a meeting scheduled Oct. 8 with the designer and INDOT to discuss minimizing traffic impacts and maximizing safety for the proposed roundabout at SR 162/SR 64.
The highway items were presented as informational updates and operational requests; the commissioners approved the test-mower purchase plan and forwarded the $60,000 repair appropriation request to the County Council for final action.
