Cost jump has affected road work (08/19/2008)

Jay County Commissioners briefly discussed trying to limit material costs Monday afternoon.

The commissioners reviewed some cost figures for stone and sealer used for road maintenance and repair, which have risen about 75 percent since 2004.

"People want to know why you can't do more," said commissioner Milo Miller Jr. referencing the numbers. "That's why."

"It's horrible, just in four years," said commissioner Gary Theurer. With material costs rising rapidly but county taxes remaining about the same, the roadway repair is putting a squeeze on what the county can do. "Our income is just about the same," Theurer said.

"The tax rate hasn't doubled," said commissioner Faron Parr.

In 2004, the average cost per mile to chip-and-seal a road was about $4,200, but has ballooned out to about $7,350 per mile this year. Since 2004, the cost of sealer has nearly doubled, while the cost of stone has risen 20 percent.

The cost per mile is down about 5 percent since 2007, running about $400 less than last year. For 2008, $632,641.82 has been spent on chip and seal for road repairs covering 86 miles, compared to $419,967.77 for 100 miles in 2004.[[In-content Ad]]