FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — Highways and roads around Fort Wayne may be less durable as they were 10 years ago. And one state legislator is taking notice.



State Representative Bob Morris represents the 84th district. He said the Portland Limestone Cement, or 1L Cement, that is being used to patch and pave roads is making interstates, county roads and city streets harder to travel.



The increased use of 1L cement dates back to the Biden-Harris administration’s initiatives to reduce the nation’s carbon footprint. This included cleaning the public sector’s concrete by swapping mixtures that were almost, or all, concrete with 1L cement, a mixture that is 88% traditional concrete and 12% of limestone and clay. The intention is to cut down the use of high carbon materials with low carbon alternatives.



According to the Portland Cement Association, the concoction decreases carbon dioxide emissions from concrete by up to 10%.



But Morris believes the effort to go green is more trouble than it is worth.



“There’s grave concerns,” State Representative Morris (R) said. “I went out on I-469 with a few state engineers. It was quite alarming what we saw.”



One concern Morris pointed towards was that paint laid on the 1L concrete would fade easily, making roadways hard to read. Another was the poor aging and reduced strength of 1L concrete. Limestone creates a more porous and soft concrete, which has lead to cracks and uneven surfaces in roadways.



Morris said now, 1L cement is used everywhere in the country. But that it should not be used in Indiana due to the state’s high fluctuation in temperatures, leading to even more drastic cracking and lessened structural integrity.



“Our environment in Indiana is a lot different than Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida and other southern states,” Morris said. “To look at our roads and how they’ve been over the past hundred years with 99, 100 percent cement, we’ve reduced that number down to 88%.”



Morris said he plans to propose an amendment to state law that would help transition the state away from 1L cement.



“We’re looking to go back to how cement has been produced for the past hundred years and last for the expectancy of that application that that’s being produced.”

‘There’s grave concerns’: Rep. Bob Morris said roads have worsened, concrete to blame