Dubois commissioners approve up-to-two-week closure of CR 500 W for Crossvine Solar work amid resident objections

Vice President Nick Hostetter and Commissioner Serice Stenftenagel voted to allow a temporary closure of County Road (CR) 500 W between 750 S and 900 S for up to two weeks to accommodate bore work for the Crossvine Solar project, following a proposal from the project contractor. Highway Engineer Levi Leffert told the board that AES installed additional construction entrance signage and plans to place temporary 35 mph speed-limit signs during construction. Leffert also raised a sight-distance safety concern at the intersection of 500 W and 750 S and requested AES install “Trucks Entering and Leaving Highway” signage to warn westbound motorists.

The motion to allow the closure was made, seconded and carried unanimously. The board’s action authorizes either a full closure with a detour using U.S. 231 or maintaining one lane of traffic through the work zone; the contractor had presented both options. The county’s discussion noted a proposed two-week duration for the closure while bore pits and a modified road crossing are completed.

Residents urged the commissioners to reconsider. David Ring, a nearby resident, said residents’ vehicles get stuck on nearby dirt roads and that “signage or applying rock would help,” and he described a two-week closure as an inconvenience. Jason Heile, a Cass Township resident, told commissioners closing CR 500 W would create a safety issue and suggested utilities be routed onto participating landowners’ property instead of the public right-of-way. Korinne Whitehead said her parents experienced property damage on CR 750 S on May 28, 2026 when a truck became stuck after driving onto their driveway; she called that trespassing on nonparticipating landowners and urged the county to take action and to reconsider the county’s solar permits and ordinance. Whitehead also expressed distrust of a “plume study” referenced later in public comment and asked for more patrols in the area.

Leffert said he will discuss the property-damage incident with AES Crossvine. Commissioner Hostetter said he believes the driver’s insurance company should work with the affected landowner to compensate for damages. The board did not record a mover or second by name in the minutes and did not supply a roll-call vote tally; the minutes state the motion carried unanimously.

The closure decision came with a set of mitigation measures requested in the meeting: additional construction-enterprise signage already placed by AES, temporary 35 mph signs during work, and suggested advance warning signs near the 500 W/750 S intersection. AES’s exact construction schedule aside from the two-week window was not provided in the minutes. The commissioners agreed to monitor safety and related concerns and to continue communication with participating and nonparticipating landowners.