Q&A: Vanderburgh County Commission candidates rate county roads, talk Lloyd4U

EVANSVILLE — The Courier & Press asked the Republican candidates for District 3 Vanderburgh County Commissioner to share their responses to questions about local issues on residents' minds.

The District 3 seat is the only contested primary on the ballot for Vanderburgh County voters May 7.

Running are incumbent Cheryl Musgrave and challenger Amy Canterbury. Whoever wins May 7 will face Democratic candidate Hope Fussner in November.

What grade would you give the overall state of Vanderburgh County roads?

Cheryl Musgrave: The official data show that “fair” is an appropriate overall assessment for county roads,based on engineering studies conducted routinely. Note: Commissioners are responsible for roads in the unincorporated county, outside of Evansville and Darmstadt.

Amy Canterbury: I would give our county roads a "B" grade. We need our county roads to be clean and green. I know the folks who work on the county roads would agree and need direction from our Commissioners keep them clean and green. Let's make sure we are making the bets impression with "no trash" and making sure our right of ways are mowed and clean; particularly on the North Side where we have our largest growth. Every bridge over Pigeon Creek is covered by the county. Let's make our community and region proud and keep this free of trash.

Each year the cost of updating roads exceeds the money available to complete the projects. Are there potential funding sources you don’t believe have been explored?

Cheryl Musgrave: While we have made significant use of traditional means such as the state gas tax, federal funds, and occasional infusions from local property/income taxes to repair and rebuild roads, the gap between available resources and the cost of updating roads persists. Addressing the ongoing challenge of insufficient funding for road projects requires an approach that explores a wide range of potential funding sources.

The Commission went further and created a comprehensive study which cataloged needed projects and costs. This study, along with the recognition it received through a statewide award, highlights the innovative strategies we have employed to address the issue of funding gaps.

By continuing to engage with state and federal legislators, sharing our research findings, and collaborating with other counties to advocate for increased road funding, we aim to raise awareness about the critical need for additional resources.

Amy Canterbury: We are using gasoline tax, which we don't want to increase, with the higher gas prices. We also use excise tax and the casino taxes. TIF districts also pay for infrastructure.  We should be prudent in how we use these dollars to cover roads and even paths that connect. Working with our economic partners will put us in a much better position.

Are there specific areas or roads you feel are in the most need of attention?

Cheryl Musgrave: We maintain lists of roads that need repaving or reconstruction. Roads are prioritizedfor repair based on pavement rating, traffic volume, and public comments. At every new funding opportunity, we examine the list to see any of our roads qualify.

Amy Canterbury: In 2022, County Council spent $20 million to complete re-asphalt county roads, which was very needed. We should continually be making thoughtful improvements such as Boonville New Harmony Road, while maintaining residential character, in areas of Petersburg Road, Kansas Road and Baseline Road, but with specific plans to where we have alternative roads when we are doing improvements. We should be focused on making improvements on St. Joseph Avenue to support heavy truck traffic and be focused on areas that are dangerous such as Hogue and Red Bank roads.

Do you believe constituents are given ample opportunity to express concerns about local roads?

Cheryl Musgrave: The Commission annually hosts a road hearing providing the public an opportunity to join us in identifying needed improvements. This provides everyone a platform to voice concerns, identify projects, and actively participate in the decision-making process. We take this public input and vote on a list at a public hearing where additional public comments are welcome.

To keep the public fully informed on our annual progress, we created a web site that catalogs Vanderburgh County road repair projects at: https://vceng.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a23425a0f4244970b80b0391cc8c5e22.

Amy Canterbury: County road hearings should be held at convenient times so more constituents can participate. Our constituents care and I want their voices to be heard.

What is your opinion on the upcoming Lloyd4U construction?

Cheryl Musgrave: The Lloyd4U is a state project, overseen by The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). The project is financed through state appropriations approved by the state legislature and the Governor.

Our community relies heavily on state roads for travel, and we appreciate the substantial funding allocated towards the enhancement of the Lloyd Expressway.

During the planning stages, I met with the state’s engineers to advocate for improvements to address specific needs of our community on several occasions. Notably, we were able to influence the design of the intersection at St. Joseph Avenue and the Lloyd, ensuring it included additional lanes.

Amy Canterbury: Lloyd4U will bring greatly enhanced traffic flow through the city. Unfortunately, it will most likely take four construction seasons. That puts this in a good place with the I-69 bridge completion. When it's complete, it will be wonderful. The state is investing $170 million- maybe more- in Evansville. They could invest this anywhere in the state, but they understand the importance of Lloyd upgrades.

What impact, if any, do you believe that construction will have on county roads?

Cheryl Musgrave: While the Lloyd Expressway falls under state jurisdiction and runs primarily through the city of Evansville with only a segment in the unincorporated area, the upcoming construction is expected to have an impact on some western county roads.

To address this issue, we have proactively focused on paving key county roads that might be affected by detoured traffic. Recent paving projects include Middle Mt. Vernon, Red Bank, Hogue, Rosenberger, and a portion of Upper Mt. Vernon roads. Pending approval of a recent state grant application, we hope to pave another section of Upper Mt. Vernon Road this year. In addition to road resurfacing initiatives, we are strategically planning upcoming bridge projects to avoid road closures during the Lloyd4U project.

Amy Canterbury: When we take alternative routes, it will have impact, primarily on city roads. For the county, the greatest impact will be west. Upon completion, we should seek state funding for repaving these routes.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Vanderburgh County Commission hopefuls rate county roads, talk Lloyd4U