Starke County Highway Department Paving Operations Continue

Posted on August 5, 2016
Author Mary Perren, WKVI 

The Starke County Highway Department is preparing to pave and wedge another 10 miles of roads this month. Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the county commissioners Monday crews have already paved and wedged more than 10 miles of roadway.

They will also chip seal about 20 miles of county roads this month and will start making asphalt for a third round of paving by the last weekend in August. He says paving may be limited this year due to time and weather instead of available funds.

“We’ve never done round three, and we’re going to be doing that,” Ritzler said. “We’re going to be paving some of these subdivisions in the resort areas because they don’t like us paving in the summer. So we’ve never really had an opportunity to do that. It’s a good and bad thing that we’re running out of time this summer. We’ve been so busy we just don’t have any more time to do it. That’s a positive thing. We’re doing more miles.”

Ritzler says that’s due in part to lower oil materials costs, which have allowed them to stretch their paving.

Additionally Ritzler says the highway department knows exactly when and where each pound of asphalt was made and where it goes. He says this provides greater accountability for taxpayers as to where their money is going.

Information is also shared on the Starke County Highway Department Facebook page.