LAWRENCE CO. — The Lawrence County Commissioners voted on Tuesday morning to transfer ownership of 195.7 feet of Teke Burton Road to the City of Mitchell.
The decision was made at the request of Lawrence County Highway Superintendent Brian Sowder, who noted that the City of Mitchell intends to pave the road, which is also identified as Elm Park Drive on the Indiana Department of Transportation inventory map. The segment being transferred is located just south of Hoosier Hills Credit Union, in the curve, and is owned by the county.
Highway Department Updates and Projects
In other business, the Highway Department provided updates on several key maintenance and infrastructure projects across the county:
The department has extended its contract with AMI to supply oil for paving operations into 2026. Sowder confirmed that the contract extension comes with no price change.
Crews will complete crack sealing in District 1 today and will then move on to District 2. This pavement maintenance technique involves filling cracks with a specialized sealant to prevent water and debris from entering the asphalt, which could cause further damage.
Sowder called the process a cost-effective preventive measure that extends pavement lifespan by protecting the underlying structure from water infiltration. Crews prepare the roadways beforehand by cleaning out loose material and vegetation from the cracks.
Replacement of culverts is also underway this week on Pinhook Road, Cassidy Lane, and Clark Smith Road.
Sowder is actively working on a project to widen and improve Bridge 204 on Meadows Church Road to eliminate its current 6-tonnage limit.
“This is something we should be able to do locally with the bridge crew,” Sowder stated. He emphasized that the effort is designed so that emergency vehicles and local farmers can utilize the bridge without concern for tonnage requirements. Sowder hopes to improve all Lawrence County bridges with limited tonnage. The county currently has 19 bridges with tonnage restrictions.
Following a recent bridge inspection, Sowder is also preparing to submit a federal grant request—a Notice of Funding Availability for Rural Federal Aid Projects through INDOT—to replace Bridge 46 on Bartlettsville Road. The application window for the project request opens on November 5th.
