Solar Project Road Sealed Too Wide in Blackford County, Creating Safety Concern

From the Blackford County Commissioner Meeting on June 1, 2026

Road work done for the Lake Trout Solar project was not built to the agreed specifications, the highway superintendent told commissioners on June 1.

The chip seal — a road surface treatment — on 300 East south of State Road 18 and on 500 North near the railroad track was supposed to be applied at 18 feet wide, leaving at least a foot to a foot-and-a-half of gravel shoulder on each side. Instead, the contractor sealed the road 21 feet wide, covering the entire prepared surface with no shoulder remaining.

The superintendent called it "a false sense of security." Drivers may think they have room at the road's edge, but the surface will not hold up at the margins, risking damage.

The superintendent said he discussed the 18-foot width with both the lead contractor, Ray Chapman, and the head of EPC the day before the work was done, and both agreed. The next day, crews sealed it 21 feet wide anyway.

Commissioner Lancaster said he would have a letter drafted and sent "immediately." The superintendent said the experience has made him unwilling to move forward on the RWE road upgrade list under similar conditions, saying he is "not willing to put our citizens at risk."

Source: Meeting transcript — Blackford County - County Commissioner Meeting - June 1, 2026 (timestamps 31:03–37:54)

Some information may be inaccurate due to video audio quality.