Those black strips of asphalt seen on Branch County roads are called paver patches. Most of the nearly 15 miles of roads laid down by Branch County Road Commission crews this fall were due to the drought.

At its Thursday, Oct. 30 meeting, Road Commission Chairman Bob Mayer said, "You don’t think about it but when everything became so dry (the roads) wanted to settle."

Road Commission Manager Jay Miller said many of those locations are scheduled for chip seal next year.

"We wanted to get ahead of the curve," he said.

With settling roads cracking, the winter freeze expands the cracks and causes more damage.

Branch County has the advantage of operating its own asphalt plant at the gravel pit located north of the airport, off U.S. 12, to supply paving materials.

Drain Commissioner Mike H

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