The Daviess County Council on Wednesday appropriated an extra $200,000 from riverboat gambling tax money to improve the county’s dilapidated gravel roads.

Highway Superintendent Larry McLin told the council his department has a shortfall in its blacktop road program since he has received a total of 5 percent less in his budget over the past three years from the state while fuel and materials prices continue to rise.

He said he has tried to improve money management at the department and has fewer employees, trucks and graders than in the past, but he still doesn’t have enough money to maintain the county’s current paved roads as he should.

One person has mentioned to the council that all Martin County’s road are paved, said councilman Ken Solliday, but many of their roads are very narrow, he added. Daviess County can’t afford to pave all its roads at an acceptable width or maintain them, even if the paving was donated.

The county would be better off not paving any more roads until they have to money to maintain them, he said.

“We need to get the rock roads up to where people can use them,” he said.

An extremely wet spring and heavy traffic have been devastating to the county’s gravel roads this year, especially in Barr Township, where many residents have home businesses, said McLin. Instead of being higher than the surrounding fields and capped so the water will run off, the roads have lowered and spread out, he explained.

“When you drive on a gravel road, beware,” he said.

However, he has managed to keep the paved roads from having potholes.

With the extra money, McLin wants to purchase more rock to put on the gravel roads. First, he will have his grader operators cut back the shoulders and pull old gravel out of the ditches to give the roads a proper foundation before putting down the new rock.

Highway Foreman Phil Cornelius said he estimated the $200,000 will only repair about 19 miles of gravel road, but those 19 miles could help a lot. Also, the extra money will help the Highway Department use its regular budget money for other roads, said McLin.

County Attorney Jeff Hayes mentioned the county cannot use property tax money for roads unless they declare an emergency; that is why they are using riverboat gambling tax money.

When the council voted to appropriate the money, they stipulated that McLin put the rock where he feels it is most needed.

In other road news, the Highway Department requested appropriations from the Cumulative Bridge Fund to repair four bridges.

Bridge 187 on Glendale Road and 175 on CR 350N both had guardrails knocked off, said McLin. He requested $5,000 for each of those bridges.