Menu
County will not pursue federal funding on Bridge 45
In a meeting featuring updates on several county bridges, perhaps the most notable news was a bridge that won’t be getting any work.
Bridge 45 on County Road 900 East (Hendricks County line) over Big Walnut Creek in Jackson Township will not be the subject of a federal aid project after the three Putnam County Commissioners all told County Engineer Jim Peck not to pursue the funding during their Monday meeting.
The bridge has been the subject of two extended closures and major repairs since 2019. Peck noted that if the county pursued federal aid for replacing the bridge, the application period would open on Nov. 1.
The process would include an examination of alternatives to replacement due to the structure being considered historic. The iron truss bridge was built in 1915.
However, each commissioner – Rick Woodall, David Berry and Tom Helmer – told Peck they did not wish to proceed with the project.
Contacted after the meeting, Woodall told the Banner Graphic the commissioners’ reasoning that three federal aid projects were already approved in the last cycle. Such projects must be funded up front when construction begins, with federal reimbursement coming afterward. The commissioners do not believe the county has the cash on hand to fund yet another project.
Peck was on the agenda for Tuesday’s Putnam County Council meeting to request funding for the project, but noted that the request had been pulled.
Among structures that should be receiving work are three covered bridges, with Peck saying he had recently met with consultants about new roofs for Rolling Stone Bridge and Edna Collings Bridge.
Additionally, the effort to install new purlins and siding on Houck Bridge is also set to move forward. Peck said there will be an estimate on this project in time for the Aug. 5 commissioners meeting.
The decision on whether Bridge 288 over CSX Railroad in Marion Township will be dependent on a test of the ancient concrete in the bridge.
“It’s concrete that’s 110 years old that’s had salt sprayed on it,” Peck said.
Peck reported that Drew Corp., which had examined putting new guardrails on the bridge, was concerned with the condition of the concrete.
A “pullout test” will determine whether guardrails can safely be installed.
An inspection of the bridge led to its closure until more adequate guardrails can be installed. If it’s determined they cannot be safely anchored, the bridge will remain closed permanently, joining similar structures in Madison Township that have already closed or been replaced.
Peck reported that Milestone Contractor plans to begin Community Crossings work in the northern part of the county on Aug. 19.
While this is good news for the county, it could mean a serious slowdown to in-house paving work the county has undertaken.
The county has been dependent upon Milestone for its hot mix asphalt, meaning that the more work Milestone is doing, the less asphalt is available to the county.
In other business, the commissioners:
• Approved an increase of the cell phone stipend for employees from $30 to $50 each month.
• Discussed the matter of compensatory time, a policy Woodall would like to see removed from the county handbook.
Comp time, a way of avoiding having to budget for overtime, allows employees to bank extra hours worked in a pay period for time off to come later. Woodall would like to see a more tidy system of simply paying overtime.
“If you work them, you get paid for them,” he said.
However, there are a number of matters to consider, such as adding overtime to the budget as well as the fact that comp time is a way that newer employees can actually get some paid time off.
The commissioners plan to address the matter of paid time off during their Aug. 5 meeting, at which point the comp time matter will also be considered further.
• Approved an easement on the People Pathway trail just east of County Road 300 East in Marion Township.
The easement will allow Hendricks Power to run an electrical line under the trail to a new substation it is building adjacent to 300 East, just north of the trail.
Mike Good of Hendricks explained that the power provider currently has a feed in that area from a Duke substation near Fillmore. However, this facility was going to have to be rebuilt, an expenditure Duke did not want to undertake.
Instead, Hendricks will build its own facility and do so closer to Greencastle to accommodate any development that might happen near the city’s east side.
“We’re kind of going to take over and have our own facilities,” Good said.
The easement received unanimous approval.
The construction of the facility, which did not require any special approval from county planning or zoning officials, takes three acres of agricultural ground out of production.
Berry, Woodall and Helmer were joined for the meeting by County Auditor Kristina Berish and County Attorney Jim Ensley.