The county has had to buy at least three tires for motorists whose tires were punctured by metal fragments in the reused concrete, Commissioner Marla Irving told The News-Sentinel of Fort Wayne for a story published Saturday.
The commissioners decided last month to save money and conserve landfill space by using the broken-up pavement to repair roads instead of throwing it away.
The concrete was supposed to have been covered with a layer of asphalt or other material before cars were allowed on it, said Irving Gravel owner Jerry Irving, husband of the commissioner, who abstained from the vote.
But that was not done.
''I guess we didn't realize you shouldn't drive on it,'' said Jeff Sorg, a maintenance supervisor for the county highway department.
The recycled road material can contain steel used to reinforce the concrete. Most of the metal is removed by hand or by magnets during the recycling process, Jerry Irving said. But some metal can remain.
Allen County generally tries to keep roads open during reconstruction, but officials said roads may have to be closed during repairs or resurfaced immediately if recycled concrete is used.
The recycled material was used on about six miles of roads that have since been covered with another layer of pavement.
Meanwhile, the county has stopped using recycled concrete until the issue is resolved, said Mike Fitch, the county highway director. - The Decatur (Indiana) Daily Democrat