Infrastructure News Summary
For April 18, 2008

VALPO PUSHING FOR EARLY START TO NORTH CALUMET WORK
The NWI Times
Phil Wieland
4/17/08

VALPARAISO | The Indiana Department of Transportation plans to award a contract for the improvement of North Calumet Avenue next April. The city hopes it will be earlier. Chief Deputy City Engineer Tim Burkman said field checks, one of the many steps required before bids can be sought, were done this week. The city plans to widen the road between Vale Park Road and Bullseye Lake Road by adding a center turn lane and then remill and repave the existing road. The million-dollar project, 80 percent of which is being paid with federal funds, also will include enclosing the ditch on the west side and installing a storm sewer. Also on the west side, decorative lighting and a sidewalk will be installed, and the parks department will be planting trees. No work is planned on the east side.
http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2008/04/17/updates/breaking_news/doc480797da815d7960721676.txt

UPDATE ON TERRE HAUTE ROADWAYS
WTHI-TV
4/17/08

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - With warmer weather on the way, Chuck Ennis of the Terre Haute City Engineering Department has an update on construction projects. Fourth Street will soon be paved. And people traveling on Fruitridge Avenue shouldn't have to take detours for too much longer; it's slated to be opened in a week or so. Edgewood Grove continues to go through growing pains with new sidewalks and curbs but the finishing touches are on the way. http://www.wthitv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8183884

PENCE'S NO-PORK PLEDGE NO HIT WITH CONSTITUENTS
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Sylvia Smith
4/17/08

WASHINGTON - The top officials of Muncie's largest employers, Delaware County government and the business community have asked Rep. Mike Pence, R-6th, to reverse his new policy about seeking money for local projects. Pence said this year he won't request money for projects in his Muncie-area district be included in next year's federal budget. Most spending bills include money for "earmarks," which are specific projects identified by individual lawmakers. He said he was fed up with the way Congress handled the requests in last year's spending bills. Rep. Dan Burton, R-5th, has signed a pledge promising not to ask for earmarks in the 2009 budget. Rep. Mark Souder, R-3rd, requested money for two-dozen projects, including road and bridge construction, improvements on college campuses, sewer improvements and construction of a new YMCA. http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080417/NEWS03/804170338

WORK SET TO BEGIN ON S.R. 15 IN BRISTOL
STATE HAS COME UP WITH A COUPLE INTERESTING DETOURS
The Truth Newspaper
4/18/08

BRISTOL -- The planned upgrade of the congested S.R. 15-U.S. 20 intersection south of Bristol begins later this month, heralding the start of more than fours months of detours. According to the timeline for the $83 million state project, released this week by the Indiana Department of Transportation, the first closure will occur on S.R. 15, just south of U.S. 20, starting April 28. The state road will be closed there for about 100 days until early August, requiring those driving toward Goshen to find an alternate route. The next phase of the project, starting around Aug. 3 and lasting about 15 days, will result in turning restrictions on both U.S. 20 and S.R. 15 as the center lane of U.S. 20 is reconstructed. Motorists on both roads won't be able to make left turns, though they will be able to go straight or turn right. http://www.etruth.com/Know/News/Story.aspx?ID=446480

INDOT TO PATCH I-70 POTHOLES, CLOSE LANES AROUND U.S. 27 BRIDGE WORK
Palladium-Item
4/17/08

The Indiana Department of Transportation is repaving stretches of Interstate 70 in Wayne and Henry counties where an abundance of potholes have formed, the agency announced today. The interstate will be restricted to motorists beginning Monday between Indiana 1 north of Cambridge City and Indiana 109 north of Knightstown as INDOT workers mill and pave. INDOT also will restrict travel lanes where the interstate meets U.S. 27 north of Richmond to continue construction of the bridge there.
http://www.pal-item.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080417/UPDATES/80417022/1004/NEWS02

CITY TO RETHINK CLOSING CLINTON FOR NEW BRIDGE
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Benjamin Lanka
4/17/08

Fort Wayne hopes to hire a consultant in the next few months in part to examine whether Clinton Street should be closed while the state replaces the bridge over the St. Marys River. Rachel Blakeman, spokeswoman for Mayor Tom Henry, said a consulting firm will be hired to make traffic recommendations during the construction, which is scheduled to begin in 2010. The one-way bridge gets about 26,000 vehicles a day. Dave Ross, city engineer, previously said that when construction begins, Clinton will have to be closed at the bridge because the city does not have the money for a $1.25 million temporary span. He also said a temporary bridge could hurt neighboring parks. http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080417/LOCAL/804170322

CITIES AND TOWNS MAY GET "HIT UP" TO PAY FOR OWN BRIDGE REPAIRS
Indiana's News Center
Jeff Neumeyer
4/17/08

Allen County Council Members want Fort Wayne and other local cities and towns to take a hard look at whether they can pay for their own bridge repairs. That terrible bridge collapse in Minneapolis last summer has government leaders everywhere thinking about keeping bridges in good shape. But finding the money to do that and figuring out who's on the hook to pay the tab, those are tough questions. Allen County Council Thursday urged the County Commissioners to make a formal request to cities and towns in the county to look inward to see if they can afford upkeep on the bridges in their own jurisdictions. The request would let those cities and towns know if you can't, you need to ask county council for a hike in the wheel tax and surtax, and then agree to relinquish the extra tax proceeds so the county can do the repairs. http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/17859024.html