Just like the rest of America, Dubois County has felt the affects of a decline in funding for roads and highways.
“It has made it harder for us to maintain our roads,” Dubois County Highway Superintendent Steve Berg said.
From 2008 to 2013, the amount of federal highway funds available to states has fallen 3.5 percent, according to a national study by the Associated Press. The same study found that even when accounting for inflation, federal highway funds have declined for every state other than Alaska and New York.
Indiana, which ranks 38th in the nation for highway spending per capita, saw an increase of just 1.1 percent in highway spending from 2008 to 2013, according to the latest data available.
While Dubois County receives federal funding for bridge inventory and major projects, like the upgrades on Kentucky Street in Holland — a project fed by 80 percent federal funding and 20 percent local money — the county needs more financial support.
Dubois County obtains most of its road funding from state fuel tax. For every gallon of gas purchased, 18 cents is collected by the state before being divvied out. One cent goes to the local area of the gasoline purchase. Three cents stays with the state, and 75 percent of the remaining 14 cents goes to the Motor Vehicle Fund (MVH). The amount that each county gets from MVH is split even more based on variables such as population and road mileage.
“What we’re getting is a fraction of a fraction of a penny,” Berg said.
In 2014, Dubois County received $2,664,000 from the MVH fund. That’s only a 1.3 percent increase in funding since 2003. The other wide avenue of funding the county receives comes from the Local Road and Street Fund, which consists of the money that doesn’t get used in MVH. Dubois County’s peak LRS funding came in 2005 with revenues of $374,748. Since then, the county has seen a 9 percent decrease in LRS funding.
Because funds are based on consumption, the county doesn’t receive more money when the price of gas rises. Berg said the technique of collection through consumption has become less helpful as cars have become more efficient and the reliance on gas has dropped.
“It hit us in both ways,” Berg said.
While funding has fallen, the price of equipment has increased, forcing the highway department to make sacrifices. Three of the department’s four dump trucks are currently over the 200,000 mile mark — their mileage target for replacements — and one is 15,000 miles from passing the benchmark. Berg would also like to have a new excavator, but he said the price tag looms at about $250,000.
“In my regular budget, I don’t have enough money to replace equipment,” Berg said. “And it’s more cost prohibitive to maintain it than to buy new equipment.”
When it comes to maintaining roads, Berg said the department has to look after a diverse selection. While Dubois County might not be a densely populated area, it does see a consistent run of heavy payloads, such as timber trucks, which usually drive on rural roads with smaller bases than city roads. The county also sees a heavy amount of traffic, since more than 4,500 people commute in to Jasper each weekday. Berg said the department has become more reactive than proactive.
“We’re supposed to use funding to upgrade and maintain our roads,” Berg said. “But right now we can only maintain them.”
Berg said the lack of funding also hurts the county’s efforts to recruit and keep the best workers. He’s more than happy with the staff he has and says that the current batch of employees works for the county because they enjoy their duties and value the “public service” part of the job. However, he notes it’s becoming more difficult to recruit new workers after the department loses employees to retirement.
“How are we going to hire young people?” Berg asked.
Because of his job, Berg comes into daily contact with people who say they care about the roads. They don’t want to drive over potholes or feel a constant vibration as they cruise the highway. He knows it’s something that matters, but he also thinks people aren’t completely aware of just how expensive it is to keep roads in shape. According to the latest data available, Dubois County spent more than $1.2 million on paving in 2009. Last year, the Dubois County Council approved $800,000 for asphalt paving. The Kentucky Street project in Holland, which will widen lanes and remove traffic from Main Street, will cost more than $2.6 million, but the federal government will cover 80 percent, paying for $2.2 million, while the county will split the remaining $440,000 with Holland.
Despite the expense, Berg said that projects such as Kentucky Street help spread traffic and benefit the community. He hopes residents realize roads require upkeep. He mentions tolls and a possible usage tax as ideas to help increase funding and alleviate problems.
“A lot of bridges and interstates have been around for a long time,” Berg said. “The convenience transportation has provided people is making them take everything for granted.”
© 2010 - 2024 Jasper Herald Company. All Rights Reserved.