The Lake County Highway Department supervises new construction and maintains all county highways, including removing snow and ice, mowing, patching, and replacing signs. The Highway Department is in charge of various preparatory stages of construction including the acquisition of right-of-way, survey and design requirements, and the letting of contracts in addition to the actual supervision of construction. The Department also maintains all bridges on Lake County roads and township roads that are not part of the State or City Highway System, and the Highway Superintendent is available for advice and help in the design and construction of drainage structures on the township roads. The Superintendent is also responsible for preparing the specifications of any advertised bids dealing with the highway equipment or construction.