County Seeks Grant, Plans Rehabilitation for Bridge 78 Next Spring

The Dubois County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 3 voted to allow staff to submit an application for a federal Bridge Safety Improvement grant, with the application window open through Dec. 5. The move accompanies progress reported by the county engineer on the design for Bridge 78, a 222 foot, three span structure built in 1969 that carries traffic across the Patoka River.

Engineers presented a proposed rehabilitation package for the structure. Planned work includes a latex modified concrete overlay, hydro demolition, conversion to semi integral bearings, asphalt work on the approaches, and removal and reset of existing guardrail. The estimated construction cost is roughly $650,000. The board agreed to seek a $650,000 appropriation from the county bridge fund to cover construction if grant funding is not secured, and directed staff to continue design work scheduled to finish in late fall. If schedules hold, construction is expected next spring.

For local residents the decisions shape both short term and long term conditions. Rehabilitation aims to extend the service life of a mid century river crossing, addressing wear that accumulates on older bridges and helping avoid more costly replacements in the future. Work next spring may involve temporary lane restrictions or short term detours, depending on final construction plans, and county officials will need to coordinate traffic management to minimize disruption for commuters, farm equipment, school buses and commercial traffic that use the route.

Financially the meeting highlights the interplay between federal assistance and county budgeting. The Bridge Safety Improvement grant represents a potential source of outside funds that could reduce the burden on local taxpayers. At the same time the board moved to secure the necessary county bridge fund appropriation, signaling a willingness to invest local resources to keep the project on schedule if federal support is not forthcoming.

The rehabilitation of Bridge 78 also fits into a wider national emphasis on maintaining and upgrading aging infrastructure, a matter that links local mobility with regional economic resilience. Residents interested in the technical details or the full context of the commissioners discussions are encouraged to review the full meeting recording or transcript. CitizenPortal.ai produced the meeting summary from the public meeting video and transcript, and the full recording provides the complete public record for this matter.