How far down is the river? Highway engineer Paul Couts stands at the edge of a dangerous river-eroded section of CR1200W assessing the damage done to the road. The highway department barricaded the west lane of the road approximately .25 mile north of CR600N. Photo by Debbie Lowe The Tippecanoe River’s power for destruction became a discussion topic at the Monday morning Carroll County Commissioners’ meeting. Highway engineer Paul Couts advised commissioners that a section of CR1200W is not safe due to river erosion. He explained that high water rushing down river after last week’s rains had caused part of a steep cliff to slide away from the road, thereby undercutting a portion of the road’s base.

Couts reported that highway department workers put four markers at the site before the weekend and two markers slid down the side of the embankment by Monday. He said that if a car goes too close to the river side of the road, the road will likely not support the weight of the vehicle and the car will go down the embankment much like a tree has already done. Couts said the long-term plan may include re-routing the road.

“If it’s not safe, we need to close the road,” commissioner Pat Clawson said. “If there’s a question about safety, we need to be proactive before someone gets hurt out there.”

Couts told the Comet in a follow-up interview that concrete barricades will be placed on the road at the site of the erosion to restrict traffic to one lane while a more permanent solution to the problem is researched. He warned motorists to drive slowly and carefully on the safe side of the road and obey all traffic warnings.

Highway Department

A decision about an issue concerning a dead-end private lane off of Bicycle Bridge Bluff Rd., which county highway workers have been snowplowing, and a cul-de-sac at the end, which has been used by school busses as a turnaround, was tabled until further investigation can be done in an onsite visit by commissioners. Due to damage done by the heavy plows and school busses to the private road, residents requested the county apply stone to help maintain it.

Consensus of the commissioners was that county stone could not be applied to personal property.

“It’s definitely a private lane,” Couts advised.

Clawson said he is familiar with the lane and described it as “pretty rough.”

A possible solution suggested was to use right-ofway, where the lane intersects with the county road, to construct a turnaround for the school bus, which would eliminate the need for plows and busses to travel the private lane and cul-de-sac. Federal stimulus application

An agreement with R.W. Armstrong Consulting for roughly $17,000 was approved. The firm will apply for another round of federal stimulus funding for 17.9 miles of county roads and will be paid from the local option highway user and wheel taxes revenue. Couts said the estimated costs for the projects by engineers is $2.5 million.

Reflective road signs

Couts said he learned in road school last week that all stop, yield, warning, speed limit, etc. signs in the county will be required to conform to state reflectivity standards. He said he is developing a mass county replacement program, which includes both signs and posts, for all signs affected by the change at one time at a cost of roughly $500,000. Couts said that due to grant funding available for quantity replacement, a total replacement plan will be more cost effective than replacing each sign individually.

Couts advised that Tippecanoe County is developing a 2010 traffic count program, which includes Carroll County. He said there will be a 20 percent cost for the county liability, however Carroll County will own five traffic counters after five years.

He said Delphi Mayor Randy Strasser is working with other communities, such as Flora, Camden and Burlington, to obtain their cooperation for the program.

Other business

Commissioners’ attorney Kurtis Fouts was directed to develop a proposed lease extension for the Carroll County Historical Society to continue to occupy a portion of the courthouse. The group is requesting a four-year extension of the $1/year lease.

An Indianapolis group will pursue federal stimulus funds for energy efficient upgrades and modifications to all county-owned buildings. According to Carroll County Economic Development Director Daryl Smith, the group’s fee will be paid from stimulus funding received.

A budget of $15,000 to the Carroll County Recycling Corporation for service, $4,800 to CCRC for fuel and $200 for shredding services was approved from a $20,000 grant from the Northwest Indiana Solid Waste District.

Vicky Snipes was appointed to the Wabash Valley Hospital Board.

Jane Smith, Arnold Abbott and Doris McLeland were appointed to the 2010 Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals (PTABOA).

An application for Harry Shaffer to Carroll Manor was accepted.

Carroll County Republican Central Committee will use the courthouse lounge April 3 from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for two caucuses.

German Baptist New Conference used the 4-H building March 12 and will use the same facility March 24, April 16, May 21, June 18, Aug. 20, Sept. 17, Nov. 19 and Dec. 17.

Commissioners will meet in executive session March 18 at 1 p.m. to interview for a trash transfer station employee.

The next public commissioners meeting will be April 5 at 9 a.m.