INDIANAPOLIS — Cracking. Peeling. Premature wear and tear.
WRTV Investigates has uncovered problems with concrete pavement in roads and bridges across the state of Indiana.
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“Performance failures”: Records reveal state lawmakers, INDOT aware of concrete issues
Drivers notice orange barrels and delays.
“Indiana has a lot of construction going on,” said driver Barry Hammock. “Everybody is always just jammed up. It’s really horrible.”
But drivers may not notice problems with concrete pavement unless they know what to look for.
Records obtained by WRTV Investigates reveal issues such as premature cracking and surface scaling, which is the peeling or flaking of hardened concrete.
Some roads and bridges have little grooves, also known as tines, that are supposed to provide friction and a channel for water to drain.
WRTV Investigates found in some locations, the tines are starting to crumble.
An October 2024 INDOT memo mentions, “durability concerns with concrete bridge decks, bridge deck overlays and bridge approaches placed in the last few years.”
An INDOT presentation from this year’s bridge conference shows pictures and cites, “increased frequency of cracking.”
A May 9, 2025, letter from 11 Indiana lawmakers to the Legislative Council called the matter “urgent” and asked fellow lawmakers to study “increasing performance failures in concrete pavements.”
An August 2025 memo from INDOT that again raised concerns about, “ongoing durability concerns with concrete bridge decks, bridge approaches and bridge overlays.
The issue is impacting relatively new projects, ones that were just finished in the last few years— in 2023 and 2024, according to INDOT.
WRTV Investigates found concrete issues at I-465 at the White River on the south side and Mud Creek Bridge at 106th Street in Hamilton County, which were finished in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
“Reason for concern” National experts weigh in on Indiana concrete issues
WRTV Investigates shared the INDOT documents and Indiana lawmakers’ letter with two national experts—Dr. Fred Aguayo and Dr. Mehdi Khanzadeh Moradllo.
Dr. Fred Aguayo has a PhD in civil engineering. He is a concrete director for a Texas contractor and a former assistant professor at the University of Washington.
Dr. Aguayo said cracking can reduce the lifespan of bridges.
“Cracks can lead to deflections that cause the bridge to sort of bounce,” said Dr. Aguayo. “We are more worried about reducing the service life of that bridge. So, if it was designed for 50 years and the cracking was extensive, now the service life could be reduced down to 25 years, half of its life.”
Dr. Aguayo also said tines serve a purpose on roads and bridges, so it’s notable if the grooves are breaking down.
“That’s grooving the surface of a highway purposefully so that you can have friction,” said Dr. Aguayo. “These tined little grooves are there to provide traction and to provide a channel for water to actually drain out in a way so they’re not just ponding on the surface.”
Dr. Mehdi Khanzadeh Moradllo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Temple University. He has previous work experience with researching, designing, and specifying concrete materials and structures in both the laboratory and field.
“If you don’t control the cracking, that cracking will be a source of water intrusion,” said Dr. Khanzadeh. “If you see a lot of cracking in your system at the surface, it’s going to be an issue. More cracks are going to shorten your service life in your environment, so there is reason for concern.”
INDOT is researching what’s causing pavement problems
In their May 2025 letter to the legislative council, 11 lawmakers asked for a summer study committee to investigate the concrete issues, calling a study “urgent and necessary.”
“INDOT and local governments are already encountering accelerated maintenance schedules and unexpected costs on infrastructure designed for multi-decade service life,” lawmakers wrote.
The Legislative Council did not grant their request to discuss the matter this summer.
WRTV Investigates contacted all 11 lawmakers who wrote the May 2025 letter, but none of them were willing to speak with WRTV.
They are:
- Rep. Bob Morris (R-Fort Wayne)
- Rep. Martin Carbaugh (R-Fort Wayne)
- Rep. Chris Judy (R-Fort Wayne)
- Rep. Dave Heine (R-Fort Wayne)
- Rep. Kyle Miller (D-Fort Wayne)
- Rep. Cory Criswell (R-Middletown)
- Rep. Tony Isa (R-Angola)
- Rep. Matt Commons (R-Williamsport)
- Rep. Shane Lindauer (R-Jasper)
- Sen. Liz Brown (R-Fort Wayne)
- Sen. Tyler Johnson (R- Leo)
So, WRTV Investigates took our questions to INDOT’s strategic communications director, Natalie Garrett.
- WRTV Investigates: Is this a safety issue?
- INDOT: No, if it was a safety concern we’d be closing bridges. Safety is always a top priority for INDOT. This is primarily a performance and durability issue.
INDOT is studying what’s causing the issue, but Garrett says a newer type of cement is a factor.
It’s called Type 1L, or Portland Limestone cement.
Studies show it’s more environmentally friendly and reduces CO2 emissions, but experts say it’s softer and more porous compared to traditional cement.
Cement is a key ingredient of concrete, typically making up 10-15% of the concrete mix by volume, according to the American Concrete Association.
INDOT started allowing Type 1L on projects in 2015. But it gained popularity in 2020 and 2021, becoming the primary type of cement in Indiana in 2022.
“It’s still in use today,” said Garrett.
Dr. Fred Aguayo said many contractors are not trained on how to use this newer type of cement.
“More than anything I think we need to train the workforce to be able to understand this is not the same cement,” said Dr. Aguayo. “We should treat every job unique to this new cement and how it may behave on the job site.”
- WRTV Investigates: Is INDOT looking at the methods contractors are using with this material?
- INDOT: Yes, we are working with the industry. We are looking at improved training, sharing of information as we learn more about Type 1L, adjusting best practices and INDOT will continue to make adjustments to specifications.
Effective September 10, INDOT placed a 10% cap on limestone content in cement for state contracts.
- WRTV Investigates: Does INDOT think that will fix the problem?
- INDOT: I think it’s a step toward fixing the problem.
INDOT is conducting third-party testing related to Type 1L Cement, said Garrett.
WRTV Investigates requested a statewide list of locations experiencing concrete issues, but INDOT declined.
- WRTV Investigates: Why can’t INDOT share a list with us of where all the locations are?
- INDOT: There are ongoing inspections, negotiations with some of our contracts that are open.
- WRTV Investigates: How many locations are we talking about here?
- INDOT: I don’t have an exact number but I can confirm it’s not one specific location in the state. It is a statewide issue. And there are other states that are seeing issues related to Type 1L.
WRTV Investigates filed a public records request on September 17 asking for a list of locations with durability or performance concerns related to Type 1L, including the GPS coordinates and name of the roadway.
INDOT responded on October 10 saying, “we do not have any documents responsive to this request.”
Concrete experts say the issue could lead to costly repairs and replacements of roads and bridges—much sooner than expected.
- WRTV Investigates: Are taxpayers going to have to foot the bill for this?
- INDOT: We are looking to identify repairs contract by contract. As a precautionary measure, we have left some of these contracts open so we have the ability to negotiate with contractors to determine where costs lie, what repairs are needed.
Statement from Indiana Ready Mix Concrete Association
WRTV Investigates contacted the American Cement Association, which represents cement manufacturers, but ACA declined to comment.
The Indiana Ready Mix Concrete Association provided the following statement:
“Thank you for reaching out to us regarding potential concerns with concrete durability in Indiana. The IRMCA understands that INDOT has concerns with issues on some bridge decks. We fully support an independent investigation currently being conducted with a 3rd party testing lab to determine whether there is a root cause. IRMCA and its members are fully committed to working with our partners at INDOT to and provide the best possible concrete for Indiana’s traveling public. Until the testing and investigation concludes, the IRMCA is not in a position to comment further.”
INDOT tells us they are doing third party testing related to Type 1L cement.
“I’m not surprised”: Drivers concerned about additional delays
We shared our findings with drivers about concrete pavement issues across the state.
“Sadly, I'm not surprised,” said driver Pat Trebe.
"I had not heard about that until you told me,” said driver Priti Singhvi.
They’re concerned the state will have to conduct more construction projects to address the issues, causing even more delays on the roads.
“It definitely causes some worry," said Charles Corona, a driver from Portage.
Type 1 cement is also used in home foundations, driveways, and even big commercial projects.
We want to hear from you if you're seeing these issues. Contact WRTV Investigates at kara.kenney@wrtv.com.
