County authorizes temporary truck restrictions, unofficial detour for State Road 1 closure

County Engineer Todd Listerman told commissioners INDOT plans to close State Road 1 near Cook Road at the end of the month for work expected to take about 45 days. He said INDOT will use an unofficial detour that routes passenger traffic onto Salt Ridge (Sodden Ridge), North Dearborn, McCann, Gaynor Ridge and Sawmill Road and that the county can track maintenance on those roads for potential reimbursement.

"INDOT is planning on closing State Route 1, sometime the end of this month ... for approximately 45 days to work on a slip south of Cook Road," Listerman said. He requested authority to place no-truck signage on the unofficial detour and asked the board to approve temporary truck restrictions during the closure.

A motion was made to allow the highway department to restrict trucks temporarily on the roads mentioned for the period when construction starts and for 60 days; the board approved the motion. Commissioners also approved a separate motion authorizing county staff (county engineer and highway department) to approve the unofficial detour agreement when it arrives from INDOT so that the county can sign and return it promptly.

Votes at a glance (meeting actions): travel advisories ratified; circuit probation grant application accepted (juvenile problem-solving court, $16,000); claims and payroll approved; minutes accepted; riverboat revenue-sharing signatures ratified; temporary truck-restriction motion approved; unofficial detour approval authorized.

Next steps: the county engineer will monitor road condition, place temporary no-truck signage on the unofficial detour when appropriate, and pursue reimbursement from the state if additional maintenance costs arise.