Starke County Highway Department – Page 12

Starke County Highway Department Remains Busy

March 4, 2014March 3, 2014WKVI

The Starke County Highway Department continues to stay busy with plowing efforts, as Superintendent Rik Ritzler yesterday morning told the commissioners that his department spent most of the month of February plowing, with 17 days of the month spent clearing roads. He said five of the days were spent hauling material, with the other days used for general maintenance.

Over the past two months, Ritzler said, the county has plowed nearly 100,000 miles, building a total cost of $561,000. Fortunately, he said they did spend less in February – but that may just have been because the month was shorter, Ritzler explained. Continue reading →

Pothole Repairs Continue on County Roads

February 25, 2014February 24, 2014WKVI

Efforts continue to repair blemishes on county roadways.

Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler said the patch truck has been out and crews have been filling potholes on county roads 300 East, 900 East, and 1100 East, as well as Circle Avenue and Toto Road.

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High Water Areas May Hinder Travel

February 21, 2014February 20, 2014WKVI

Water remains high in portions of the area today. INDOT and local crews have been scouting out high water areas on roadways and posting signs warning of high water areas. If you encounter high water, do not attempt to drive through it. Turn around and find a different route to your destination.

Starke County Highway Department officials are reporting high water at the intersection of 250 N. and 100 W., 50 S. between 700 E. and 800 E. and 300 E. between 50 S. and 100 S. Signs have been posted. Most roads including state roads have standing water at least in one lane.

What was once standing water could have frozen overnight which could cause extremely dangerous driving conditions.

Starke County Crews Working to Clear Roads

February 18, 2014February 18, 2014WKVI

Starke County Highway Superintendent Stephen "Rik" Ritzler — Starke County Highway Superintendent Stephen “Rik” Ritzler

The Starke County Highway snow plows will be out in full force this morning to try and keep up with the snow that has falled and drifted in the area.

Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told WKVI News crews have been called out this morning to tend to the roads.

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Highway Crews to do Their Best in Clearing Snow

February 17, 2014WKVI

The Starke County Highway snow plows will be out in full force to try and keep up with the snow that is falling and drifting in the area.

Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told WKVI News that if the snow gets to be too much to keep up with, then the plows will be taken off the roads. When blowing and drifting becomes an issue, it does no good for the crews to be out as roads drift shut just as soon as they pass.

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Travel Advisories Updated

February 6, 2014February 6, 2014WKVI

Starke County has moved from a Red Travel Warning to an Orange Travel Watch status. That means essential travel, such as trips to and from work, is now allowed. County officials implemented the warning at 4 p.m. yesterday. Emergency Management Agency Director Ted Bombagetti says that gave Starke County Highway Department snow plow drivers room to work before they were pulled off the road at 6 p.m. to rest, and they were able to make tremendous progress clearing roads. Continue reading →

Starke County Highway Department Still Assessing Roads

January 27, 2014WKVI

The temperature is hovering right around 0 degrees but it feels like -19 degrees with the bitter wind chill, and the high winds are giving road cleanup crews a run for their money. Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told WKVI this afternoon that crews have been busy since 5 a.m. wrestling with the drifting snow, but it’s hard going.

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Starke Highway Department Gets Green Light for Inspection Supervisor

January 21, 2014January 21, 2014WKVI

The Starke County Highway Department will soon be on the search for a new employee after the county commissioners last night gave authorization for Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler to create a new position in his department. Ritzler asked that the commissioners approve his request to ultimately hire a construction inspection supervisor, which would allow the county to forgo hiring inspectors for projects.

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Severe Winter Storm is Over, But Watch for Potholes

January 14, 2014January 14, 2014WKVI

INDOT is urging drivers in Northwest Indiana to be on alert for potholes on interstates, U.S. highways, and state routes after the fluctuating temperatures following last week’s severe winter weather has caused numerous potholes to form quickly. As temperatures continue to rise and fall through the winter season, more potholes are likely to form.

INDOT said in a press release, “When the Indiana Department of Transportation is not clearing snow, ice or storm debris, crews are focused on maintaining and preserving the state’s roads and bridges, which mainly consists of pothole patching in the winter months.”

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Starke Commissioners Hear Highway Department Plowing Effort Update

January 13, 2014January 13, 2014WKVI

The Starke County Commissioners last week received an update from the county highway department and its plowing efforts. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the commissioners that his trucks have traveled a total of 14,163 miles since Jan. 2, plowing 11,654 miles total. He said 1500 of those miles were supervisor miles and 984 maintenance miles.

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Starke County Highway Department Reviewing Bridge Inspection Bids

December 5, 2013December 4, 2013WKVI

The Starke County Highway Department has been busy with a number of projects, according to Superintendent Rik Ritzler. Ritzler informed the county commissioners at their meeting this week that his department has received five bid submissions for bridge inspections and one bid for bridge design and presented them to the commissioners. He said he will review the bids and rate them for their approval at the next meeting.

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Rural Starke County Bridge Opens Early, Project Under Budget

November 13, 2013November 13, 2013WKVI

A bridge project in the Koontz Lake area is done ahead of schedule and under budget. Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler tells WKVI news the bridge just north of State Road 23 on County Road 1100 East passed final inspection yesterday and is now open to traffic. Ritzler adds the bridge is opening 18 days early and says the project came in $10,000 under budget.

Starke County Highway Department Prepping for Winter

November 12, 2013November 11, 2013WKVI

The Starke County Highway Department has been working hard to get ready for the impending winter, and Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told WKVI that they’ve hauled in all 3000 tons of their sand and their salt contract is ready. He said the department has been checking their equipment as they get ready for winter operations, including switching to winter-grade gas and oil and prepping snowplows.

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Bridge Replacement to Close Starke County Road

September 3, 2013September 3, 2013WKVI

A road in Starke County will be closed for approximately three months for bridge replacement.

The Starke County Highway Department will be closing 1000 E. just north of 800 N. for bridge replacement.

Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler said the road will be closed from Sept. 4 through Nov. 30. Travelers are urged to seek an alternate route during this closure. State Road 23 will be utilized as a detour route.

Rural Railroad Crossings Closed for Repairs

August 12, 2013WKVI

The Starke County Highway Department has closed two railroad crossings this week for repairs. The crossings on 600 East south of State Road 8 and on 200 East south of State Road 8 are both closed, according to highway superintendent Rik Ritzler. They should reopen by the end of the week.

Starke County Highway Dept. Staying Busy, Says Superintendent

August 7, 2013August 6, 2013WKVI

The Starke County Highway Department has been staying busy, as the department recently finished their third cycle of mowing and are well into the fourth, according to Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler. Ritzler told the commissioners that they’ve also finished their chip seal operations, which ended on July 25, thanks in a large part to one highway department employee who stepped up to the plate in a big way, helping to chip seal 30 miles in less than two weeks.

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Chip Seal Work Finished in Starke County

August 3, 2013August 2, 2013WKVI

The chip seal work in Starke County has been completed but many rural residents are wondering why their freshly treated roads are rough and rocky. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told WKVI that the chip seal process takes around a week before the loose stone sets, and until then, the rocks on the road are loose and can cause damage to vehicles traveling at high speeds.

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Railroad Crossing Work Planned at the End of July

July 15, 2013July 14, 2013WKVI

Work will be done on some railroad crossings in Starke County at the end of the month.

Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum volunteers, Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad Company and the Starke County Highway Department will start the work on Tuesday, July 30 with the closure of the Toto Road grade crossing. The closure of the 650 West grade crossing at English Lake will take place on Wednesday, July 31. Surface work will be done at both locations on Thursday, Aug. 1.

The railroad grade crossings are expected to reopen to traffic on Friday, Aug. 2.

Starke Commissioners Receive Highway Department Update

July 8, 2013July 3, 2013WKVI

The Starke County Commissioners this week approved permits presented by Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler to allow CenturyLink to upgrade fiber optics in the area, requiring the company to perform work near the intersection of Toto Road and County Road 250 South.

Ritzler also presented the commissioners with his department’s monthly report and said mowing is progressing as planned, with the second cycle having been completed in most of the county. The third cycle in some areas has also been completed, though the chip-seal work has been hampered by inclement weather. He said the highway department is still working on that and has begun work in Washington Township.

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Highway Superintendent Gets Blessing to Hire Part-Time Mowing Help

June 18, 2013June 18, 2013WKVI

Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler can use funds in his budget to hire up to three part-time seasonal employees to keep up with right-of-way mowing. They will only work as needed and will not exceed the 130 hours per month limit the county has placed on part-time help in order to comply with the federal Affordable Care Act. The council also granted final approval to purchase of three additional trucks for the county highway department based on Ritzler’s recommendations. He presented detailed quotes from four vendors for five different chassis as well as two bed and body prices. Former county highway employee Richard Budka questioned the process, specifically the legality of obtaining quotes instead of sealed bids for the work. After the meeting county attorney Marty Lucas explained that sealed bids are only necessary for public infrastructure projects such as roads and other types of construction. He said in the case of vehicle purchases, quotes are standard as long as each vendor is given the same set of specifications on which to base his price. Copies of the quotes are available for review at the auditor’s office during business hours.

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