County Engineer Levi Leffert told the commissioners he had submitted required documentation to NDOT for the Community Crossing paving project and that work on Club Road (550 West) and St. Anthony Road North is scheduled to begin on or after June 1.
Leffert asked the board to approve an addendum to the Lochmuller agreement that reduces the not-to-exceed price from $50,000 to $40,000 while keeping the scope substantially the same; he recommended approval given the lower cost and said the addendum shifts some tasks to an architectural firm with more competitive pricing. Commissioners voted to approve the addendum.
On bridges, Leffert said bids for Bridge 78 (County Road 600 West over the Patoka River) will be opened and read at the March 2 meeting, noting the project will require a full road closure of approximately 60 days once a contractor is selected. He updated the board that Bridge 116 (County Road 820 East) closed Feb. 9 for beam and deck replacement and is ahead of schedule with an expected reopening in early March; he also described proposed deck-overlay work that would mill the surface, perform hydro demolition and place a 1.5-inch rigid deck overlay to extend service life.
Leffert also introduced Biolytics, an AI-driven roadway-management system the highway department is evaluating. He said a 20-minute presentation from a Biolytics representative is scheduled for the March 2 meeting and that staff will circulate information by email before that date. Leffert described Biolytics as a camera data-collection system that uses AI to assess roadway conditions and support maintenance planning.
Commissioners asked questions about bid timelines and contractor availability; Leffert said requests for quotes typically require seven days and that some bridge work may be held until March 16 to give contractors additional time to prepare quotes.
The board approved the Lochmuller addendum and recorded the bridge scheduling details for public notice and contractor solicitation.