Fort Wayne Ind. (WOWO) Drivers across Northeast Indiana have been voicing frustration over large patches of failing cement and asphalt on major roads — and State Representative Bob Morris says they’re not imagining things. In a Monday morning interview, Morris told WANE 15’s Kayla Stewart that major material changes in recent years may be contributing to premature road failure.

“We have some serious issues here in the state of Indiana,” Morris said. “We wish we could go back to type one cement, which is what Indiana was built on.”

According to Morris, Indiana shifted within the last five years to a product called 1L cement, a blend that’s 88% cement and 12% other materials. By comparison, the traditional Type I cement used for decades was 95% cement and 5% additives.

“Those other matters are what really matters,” Morris said. “The concrete is not setting up and it’s not as hard as it used to be.”

Legislators Calling for a Closer Look

Morris said lawmakers — including a group of 12 who signed a letter to Indiana’s Legislative Council this summer — are urging the state to examine why so many newly poured roads are already failing.

“There’s many of our roads that have been poured in just the past few years that are in a state of failure,” he said. “That’s of great concern to my colleagues and myself. We have to get back to type one cement. One L cement is not working.”

He adds that CO₂-emission rules and federal environmental standards pushed agencies to adopt 1L cement.
“It was part of the Green New Deal and the Biden administration,” Morris said. “Say no more — now I get it.”

The representative said he has been working with experts at Purdue University, including Dr. Luna Liu, and concrete specialist Dr. John Belkowitz, who raised concerns about ongoing failures at the Francis Scott Key Bridge repair site in Baltimore.

“They’ve poured it seven times,” Morris said of the Baltimore project. “In my mind, I said, ‘Doctor, why don’t they go back to the original formula?’ And he said, ‘Bingo — that’s exactly what they need to do.’”

Morris says he and other lawmakers will continue pressuring INDOT to reconsider its cement standards and explore additives such as E5, invented in Noblesville, which he claims creates longer-lasting concrete similar to Roman mixes that “continuously cure and harden.”

From Crumbling Roads to Friday Night Lights

The conversation took a lighter turn as Stewart shifted from cement to high school football, noting Morris’ connection as a Bishop Dwenger alumnus.

“Just so exciting,” Morris said. His son, Lewis, plays on the Bishop Dwenger squad — one of two Fort Wayne Catholic schools heading to the state championships, along with Bishop Luers.

Morris highlighted standout moments from the Saints’ semi-state game.

“Casey Piper blocked a field goal… picked it up, and ran it for 80 yards. He was really the highlight of the game,” Morris said. He also praised teammates Henry Jordan and Houston Ellinger.

Although Morris didn’t play football himself — “Basketball, cross country, and volleyball,” he noted — he coached many of today’s players when they were younger.

His message for the teams heading to Lucas Oil Stadium:

“They don’t stop. If they go down, they don’t give up. Represent the city of Fort Wayne the best you can.”

He also extended praise to Bishop Luers coach Kyle Lindsay, saying both programs are poised to “bring home the trophy and represent our city.”