Dubois County highway projects advance as gas-tax suspension threatens funding

Bridge 36 at Celestine Road North remains fully closed, with completion set for the first week of July if weather cooperates. Bridge 107 at St. Anthony Road North, Bridge 240 at St. Anthony Road West and Bridge 78 at 600 West are back open, and Highway Superintendent Donnie Lueken warned that Indiana’s gas-tax suspension could slow the next round of work and leave residents waiting longer on roads used for commutes, farm traffic and school routes.

The county has also approved a consulting contract for its Bridge Safety Improvement Project, a package aimed at roughly 60 county-owned bridges that includes new rails, guardrails and end treatments to reduce the severity of vehicle runoffs.

That bridge safety work is funded 90% with federal money and 10% locally. INDOT awarded Dubois County $2.835 million for construction and construction inspection, and the county stands to receive another $954,000 for design if it has a consultant under contract by August 1, 2026. That would bring total federal support to $3.789 million.

AIC warned the county that highway funding will be affected. The highway department is worried both about getting planned work done this year and about having enough money to keep operating. Dubois County’s highway department has 31 employees, and county council members control the treasury and budget appropriations that support departments like highway. The county may have to return later in the year and ask for more financial support.

One immediate delay is already on the books: the 650 South project, which would have converted the road from gravel to chip seal, will wait until the operating budget is confirmed. A turn-radius improvement planned for 800 South will be handled by AES once a permit is issued, and AES has been told to address roadway damage at the north end of Holland Road Northeast in coordination with the highway department.

Gov. Mike Braun first suspended Indiana’s gasoline use tax on April 8, 2026, then extended the move on June 3, 2026. Indiana’s gasoline use tax and gasoline excise tax suspensions now run through July 7, 2026. The pause saves motorists about 62 cents per gallon and costs the state roughly $140 million a month, while reserves can cover the lost revenue for now.

Dubois County was already juggling heavy road damage from severe winter storms and freeze-thaw cycles. In March, the county put 12 roads on the hot-mix list at an estimated cost of about $1.1 million, and 11 roads were slated for Rejuvtec repairs at $228,870. Chip-and-seal projects were scheduled to start the first week of June and take about two months.