The Indiana Department of Transportation is planning an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday for the new Brownstown Unit facility at 700 N. Main St.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. that day.

A former automobile dealership has been converted into a maintenance building with an office for the unit, and a 6,926-square foot salt building was constructed on the property along U.S. 50 on the east side of Brownstown.

Mattcon General Contractors renovated the building for $609,000, and construction costs for the salt building were $738,000. A new $250,000 wash bay also will be made operational at the complex.

The Brownstown Unit is the hub of maintenance and snow/ice operations for Jackson County and portions of Brown and Lawrence counties. The unit is responsible for 315 lane miles of state and federal highways. Those roads include U.S. 50, State Road 11, State Road 58, State Road 135, State Road 235, State Road 250, State Road 258 and State Road 446.