Cash-short Ind. counties go back to gravel roads

NASHVILLE, Ind. — Some Indiana counties short of cash for paving local roads are switching some roads to gravel to cut down on their maintenance costs.

The Herald-Times reports that southern Indiana’s Brown County is shifting some of its asphalt-paved roads to gravel because it’s cheaper to maintain than asphalt.

County highway Superintendent Smokey Presseau says his budget this year contains just $200,000 for road maintenance and repairs.

Brown County has about 175 miles of asphalt county roads and about 200 miles of roads with gravel surfaces.

Owen County has also switched some roads to gravel. Highway superintendent Joe Pettijohn says his budget this year is $290,000 and that’s far short of what’s needed to make roads smooth and drivable. He says three years ago his budget was cut by $2 million.