Road construction seems to be a constant in the state of Indiana, especially in Gibson County. As 2023 comes to a close, there seems to be just as many construction zones as one sees in the summer. All of the construction going on is forcing students to take detours to get to and from school. Gibson County is filled with construction. Many students curse all of the detours, as they simply want to get from point A to point B.
“The whole summer my parents had to take so many detours just to get to Evansville, and we did not like it at all,” junior Patricia Long said.
The Superintendent for Gibson County Highway, Brant Johnson, is in charge of county roads. Johnson coordinates with the Indiana Department of Transportation with regard to what is going to go on in Gibson County.
“What is getting ready to happen is that the state highway is getting pipes, bridges and everything else updated because they are going to be paving 168, and they are also going to be paving 64,” Johnson said. “That is why I know the state is updating pipes and bridges so they would be ready to start working on those projects.”
Johnson said there is still a lot of work to be done. Turning a gravel road into a blacktop road is a long process.
“We have done over 100 miles of chip and seal, we did close to seven miles of paving this year on county roads and in general our jobs are on the gravel roads,” Johnson said. “We drag the roads and grade them, we put down eight miles worth of millings, which are ground up asphalt that we put down on top of the gravel roads and then we come and put an oil on top of the road to rejuvenate them. That is the process we do to turn gravel roads into blacktop roads.”
When the bridge was closed on 168 during the summer, many detours had to be taken on back roads.
“Every once in and while, I would have to take a detour,” junior John Taylor said. “I live pretty close to the bridge, so [on] the back road that I live on, there is a lot more traffic on it. Now that the bridge has opened up, it doesn’t matter anymore.”
Getting to school while navigating the different road closures can be a hassle for the student body. Some people have to take many detours while others are comfortable taking more scenic routes.
“I don’t ever take main roads to get to school; I take back roads,” Taylor said.
Johnson tries to get his team to do construction when school is in session so it won’t disrupt the flow of traffic.
“If it is a major project, we try to do it in the summertime when we know it won’t affect the flow to school,” Johnson said. “But, during school time, we chipped and fog sealed last year to Gibson Southern, and we had to do it after school was in session at 8:00 a.m.”
Johnson and his crew work to get everything done on roads around Gibson Southern before 3:00 p.m. But, when there is the need to work while students and staff are pulling into the parking lot, Johnson tries to keep at least one lane open when possible.
Something will always need repaired or changed with the roads in Gibson County, it is an inevitable fact. From county roads to highways to intersections to interstates, there will be things to fix to make the roads safer for Gibson County citizens. However, everyone must wait while the current road work comes to an end.
“Those who take 69, I feel really bad for you,” junior Claire Spindler said. “The traffic on 69 is really bad. There was a very bad accident the other day and the waiting is getting bad to get through construction.”
