Local Government Receive Road Funds

Article by KPC Media | KPC News | October 10, 2019

INDIANAPOLIS — Local governments received more than $2.4 million in Community Crossings grants for street and road repairs today, the Indiana Department of Transportation announced.

Smaller communities must provide a match of 25% in local funds, while larger communities, including Auburn, must provide a 50% match. The money can be used toward road and bridge preservation, road reconstruction, intersection improvements, guardrail replacements and signs.

The grants include:

• DeKalb County, $962,350;

• Auburn, $494,863;

• Butler, $433,576;

• Garrett, $364,143;

• Ashley $132,000; and

• St. Joe, $52,680.

DeKalb County will spend its money on asphalt overlay paving for two roads:

• C.R. 40 between 36-A and C.R. 5, north of Auburn and Garrett; and

• C.R. 60 between S.R. 1 and S.R. 101 near the Vulcraft and Nucor Fastener plants.

County Highway Superintendent Ben Parker said the projects are similar to Community Crossing projects completed this year on C.R. 60 south of Garrett and C.R. 61 from Butler to S.R. 1. The C.R. 61 paving is in progress and expected to be done next week.

Auburn intends to use its new money for complete reconstruction of Touring Drive, between S.R. 8 and 15th Street, and milling and resurfacing of North Street, from Grandstaff Drive to 200 feet east of Indiana Avenue, with both projects planned for next year, said City Engineer Steve Klein.

Butler plans to use the $433,576 it received for two projects in 2020, according to City Planner Steve Bingham. The city wants to complete work on:

• High Street from Main Street (U.S. 6) to just north of Independence Street, and

• R.E. Jones Road (C.R. 30) from South Broadway to the east property line of Therma-Tru.

“Our local infrastructure will benefit tremendously,” said state Rep. Ben Smaltz, R-Auburn. “Keeping roads and bridges in good condition contributes toward a prosperous economy and benefits our quality of life, especially for our smaller towns and cities.”

Proposed projects in Garrett include upgrades to:

• Fifth Avenue from Hamsher to Randolph streets;

• Peters Street from Second Avenue to Warfield Street;

• First Avenue from Peters to Cowen streets;

• Guilford Street from Warfield to Dennis streets;

• McHenry from Johnson to Ijams streets;

• Guilford Street from Houston to King streets;

• Keyser Street from Johnson to Ijams streets; and

• Franklin Street from Second Ave. to Dennis Street.

The total estimate of construction is $498,560. All projects except for Franklin Street are on the west side of Randolph Street.

The Town of Ashley applied for a project to overlay Gonser Avenue with asphalt.

The Town of St Joe applied for a surface treatment to chip and seal three streets in the town.

Garrett’s $373,920 (75%) from Community Crossings will be matched by $124,640 (25%) as the city’s share of the project.

Article source: https://www.kpcnews.com/thestar/article_fcf41d87-45fd-534c-8f9d-a21203f27fb3.html