Indiana, Kentucky Counties Team Up on Road Repair Technology

The Evansville Metropolitan Planning Organization — which plans transportation projects in Vanderburgh and Warrick counties in Indiana and Henderson County in Kentucky — announced Thursday that it has contracted with a company to electronically collect data about the condition of local roads.

Eighty percent of the Evansville MPO $1.12 million contract with Transmap of Columbus, Ohio, will be federally funded. Over the next few months, the Transmap van will collect data on local roadways using digital imagery and mapping.

The van has the ability to note different types of distress on roads. An inventory of that data may be used by local governments as they write pavement and repair schedules.

Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, Henderson Mayor Steve Austin and Warrick County Commissioner Rick Reid said the technology will benefit all three communities. Austin said that for Henderson, teaming with the two Indiana governments makes the technology more affordable.

Henderson officials currently rely only on “sight and complaints” when drafting road repair schedules, and the technology will help produce better plans.

The regional pavement management system, Winnecke said, “will establish credible information on the current condition of our roads and future needs, and provide both an annual and five-year cost estimate on those needs.

©2014 the Evansville Courier & Press (Evansville, Ind.)