Van Buren Road Commission Marks 100 Years

vbroadcommission
vbroadcommission

It’s been 100 years for the Van Buren County Road Commission, and this week, they’ll hold a birthday celebration. The road commission’s Greg Pardike tells WSJM News the agency was formed a few years after a 1909 state law called for uniformity in road standards. It had one employee, and the roads then were much different.

“Of course, mostly gravel or dirt, and a lot less traffic,” Pardike said. “So, smaller. We have some pictures back from the 50s and 60-s, and some of the problems we face today, they had back then, but it’s kind of interesting to see some of the equipment they had to work with.”

For example, Pardike notes crews would stand in the back of trucks shoveling salt on to icy intersections. New technology has made the job less labor intensive. Today, the road commission has about 50 employees caring for about 1,300 miles of road. They’ll hold an open party with historical information, equipment, and food on Thursday at the commission office in Lawrence from 3 to 7 p.m. Everyone’s invited.