Daviess County Commissioners Meeting Today

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With a short agenda, reports from the County Highway Department were the main focus of Tuesday’s meeting of the Daviess County Commissioners.  County Engineer Jason Heile reported that an agreement has been reached on the Washington 15th Street bridge project with CSX Railroad.  The Commissioners approved the agreement in which the the county will pay CSX $194,000 for work the railroad will need to perform.  Heile said CSX has approved most of the plan design for the bridge which will replace the out-dated overhead bridge in Washington.    Heile also reported that repairs on the damaged 450 N overpass over I-69 could begin at anytime.  INDOT may install temporary signals at the worksite.

     The Commissioners also dealt with an on-going problem of over-the-road trucks using CR 550 E as a short cut between State Road 58 and CR 1500 N in Elnora.   The Commissioners agreed to post “No Thru Truck” signs at intersections with CR 1400 N and CR 1500 N.  If this doesn’t solve the problem, the Commissioners will look at other solutions.
     Nathan Wagler, who lives and farms south of Montgomery, questioned the status of County Road 400 E south of U.S. 50.  Wagler said that the only access to his field was off the highway.  For safety reasons he would like to use CR 400 E but the neighboring farmer will not grant access along the former roadbed.  According to the County Engineer, that portion of the county road was abandoned and vacated in 1983, along with 19 other county roads but an apparent clerical error omitted 400 E from the 1983 Comissioners’ minutes.  The Commissioners told Wagler that it was the position of the County that the road had been vacated and a solution needed to be reached with his neighbor.