Winter operations picked up for the Starke County Highway Department last month. Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the county commissioners they had five snow events in March. The most significant occurred on March 15th, with up to 11 inches of snow recorded in a few areas of the county. Continue reading
Starke County Officials Present Five-Year Strategic Infrastructure Plan
Updating routes into the Knox Industrial Park and improving access to potential growth areas in Hamlet are among the priorities outlined in Starke County’s five-year strategic infrastructure plan. It serves as a blueprint for the use of County Economic Development Income Tax (CEDIT) funds, along with money from the state. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioners Seek Answers to Radio Woes
The Starke County Commissioners want another vendor to evaluate their radio system and determine what needs to be fixed to make it operational county-wide. Continue reading
Lack of Snow Saves Starke County Money
Starke County had no snow events in February. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler says the little bit of snow that fell recently didn’t linger long enough to send plows out. He told the commissioners Monday that translates into big savings for the fuel budget. The Starke County Highway Department used about 6,000 gallons of diesel fuel last month, compared to 12,000 in February of 2016 and 14,000 the previous year. Continue reading
Hamlet Lions Club Adopts County Road
A Starke County civic organization has adopted a section of roadway. Continue reading
Starke County Fares Well in State Road Safety Rankings
Starke County’s roads are among the safest in the state based on crash data. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the county commissioners Monday the statistics are based on the number of miles driven. Continue reading
Season’s First Winter Storm Packs a Whallop
The first winter storm of the season cut into the weekend for snow plow drivers. Starke County Highway Department crews hit the roads at 4 a.m. Sunday and spent the better part of the day plowing as snow continued to fall. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioners Award Bridge Replacement Bids
The Starke County Highway Department continues to make progress with bridge replacements and upgrades. The new bridge on 250 West over Bogus Run, just south of Toto Road, should be finished this week, according to county highway superintendent Rik Ritzler. Continue reading
Starke County Highway Department Prepared for Seasonal Transition
The Starke County Highway Department is ready for winter weather. Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the county commissioners Monday all material, personnel and planning requirements are in place. Continue reading
Appropriation Clears Way for Highway Department Purchases
The Starke County Highway Department plans to make some facility updates and an equipment purchase with funds received throughout the year.
The county council Monday approved Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler’s additional appropriation request, which will clear the way for the expenditures. It’s a procedural step to move the money into the necessary account. Continue reading
Starke County Highway Department Stocks Up for Winter
The Starke County Highway Department is getting ready for winter weather. Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the county commissioners last week they’ve committed to 1,250 tons of salt at $56.16 per ton. He says that represents a savings of between $8 and $9,000 over last year. Continue reading
Hamlet Council Considers Salt Spreader Purchase, Approves Street Paving Payment
The Town of Hamlet is getting ready for winter weather. Water and Street Superintendent Fred Rowe told the town council Wednesday that the town’s salt spreader is getting worn out, after years of use. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioners Approve Four-Way Stop Addition
Starke County officials are moving ahead with the implementation of a four-way stop at a rural intersection to address sight distance problems. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler asked officials with the Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program at Purdue University to study three intersections and make safety recommendations. Continue reading
Starke County Highway Department Paving Operations Continue
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. Continue reading
INDOT Officials Reviewing Community Crossings Grant Applications
INDOT officials are reviewing nearly 1,600 applications for matching grant funding for local road and bridge improvement projects. They were submitted by 325 communities across the state. All are seeking their share of funds from the Community Crossings program set up this year by the Indiana General Assembly. Continue reading
Hamlet Council Agrees to Proceed with Road Funding Plans
The Hamlet Town Council voted last night to fund the paving of several streets with money in their economic development income tax fund. The Starke County Highway Department has agreed to do the work if the town will pay for the materials to pave 1.2 miles of roads. Continue reading
Starke County Highway Department Continues Road Paving Operations
Road paving season is under way in Starke County. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler says crews wedged a total of five miles of asphalt through the county in June. Plans call for an additional five miles of paving in July. Continue reading
Starke County Highway Department Anticipated Bridge Replacement Savings
The Starke County Highway Department is looking to save a significant amount of money on a bridge project by using materials they already have on hand. Continue reading
WorkOne Expands County Job Training Program
The recently announced job training partnership between the Starke County Highway Department and WorkOne has been expanded. It was initially designed to give young people up to age 24 who are not in high school or college a chance to learn “soft skills” like arriving at work on time and showing up for scheduled shifts. Continue reading
WorkOne, Starke County Highway Department Team Up to Offer Worker Training
Young people looking to gain work experience will have an opportunity to do so this summer after action Monday night by the Starke County Commissioners. They approved a partnership between the county highway department and the local WorkOne office. County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler says it will give young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not in high school or college a chance to learn “soft skills” like arriving at work on time and showing up for scheduled shifts. Continue reading
