Infrastructure News Summary
For May 19, 2008
NO DELAY IN GOSHEN MAKEOVER
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Benjamin Lanka
5/17/08
Major projects often take major time, especially if drivers don't want the
area closed completely.
Q. Can you please examine the delays in the construction of the intersection of
Washington Center Road and Goshen Road (U.S. 33). This project has been ongoing
for more than 12 months. Why the delay and when will it ever be finished?
A. Norb, you are correct that the construction has taken awhile, but your error
is thinking it should already be done. This project was scheduled to last two
years with its completion this fall - which is still anticipated, according to
Jim Keefer, district construction engineer for the Indiana Department of
Transportation. The project includes new curbs and gutters, a two-directional
center left-turn lane, new storm sewer and replaced traffic signals. Sidewalks
will also be constructed on both sides of U.S. 33 from north of Washington
Center Road to north of Cook Road. http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080517/LOCAL0203/805170385/1002/LOCAL
LONG RIDE TO WIDER CHESTER
CONSTRUCTION OF ROAD'S FIFTH LANE EXPECTED TO TAKE UNTIL NOV. 15, 2010
Palladium-Item
5/17/08
Someday there will be a new, five-lane super road where Chester Boulevard now
stands. It will be sleek and wide and offer residents a high-speed straight shot
from downtown to the city's northern limits. But getting to that day will be the
real challenge. Work began last week to clear utilities from the right of way
that will be the new road. That work is expected to take about a year. Once that
is done, construction crews will begin rebuilding and widening the road.
"It's a huge project. "It's a rebuild on that road but there's a
year's worth of utility work before there's any construction on the road,"
said Harry Maginity, spokesman for the Indiana Department of Transportation,
which is paying for the work with Major Moves money. Major Moves is an
initiative of Gov. Mitch Daniels to use money from the 75-year lease of the
Indiana Toll Road to do infrastructure improvements around the state. http://www.pal-item.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080517/NEWS01/805170301/1008
MAPLECREST'S FINE PRINT
TAX ABATEMENTS TO HAVE LITTLE IMPACT ON $50M PROJECT, ECONOMIST SAYS.
The News-Sentinel
Bob Caylor
5/17/08
The forecast of benefits from the proposed Maplecrest Road extension
continues to change as local officials digest a study on the project. On May 9,
Allen County Commissioners said the findings in a $30,000 report prepared by
consultants at R.W. Armstrong in Indianapolis made the Maplecrest extension a
clear "go." That project, likely to cost $50 million or more, would
extend Maplecrest Road from Lake Avenue south across the Maumee River to Adams
Center Road. On Thursday, Allen County Council members took no action based on
the report, focusing instead on its shortcomings. Top of the list: Consultants
did not factor the impact of possible tax abatements into their forecast of
revenue from special taxing districts designed to pay for the project. http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080517/NEWS/805170309
Also, http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080516/NEWS/805160305/0/FRONTPAGE
BOARD APPROVAL FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS COULD COME NEXT MONTH
The NWI Times
Gregory Tejeda
5/17/08
LANSING | Village Board approval could come next month for a capital repairs program that will be paid for -- in part -- by doubling the fee residents pay for the village stickers on their automobiles. On Tuesday, village trustees voiced agreement with Village President Dan Podgorski and his idea of spending up to $25 million during the next two years to pay for extensive road repairs, construction of a new fire station, improvements to the air conditioning at the Police Department, repairs to the municipal airport and purchases of equipment for the Fire and Public Works departments. As envisioned by Podgorski, about half of the money would be spent on road resurfacing and other repairs. He said up to 23 miles of road -- or about one-quarter of all the streets in Lansing -- would be repaired under such a program. http://www.nwi.com/articles/2008/05/17/news/illiana/doc57d530188db386788625744b0082ffd9.txt
CROWN POINT ENCOURAGED ABOUT PLANS FOR BROADWAY
Post-Tribune
Diane Krieger Spivak
5/17/08
CROWN POINT -- City officials say they were encouraged by a meeting with Indiana Department of Transportation officials to discuss Broadway improvements. Mayor David Uran, Greater Crown Point Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Gayle Van Sessen and state Rep. Shelli VanDenburgh, D-Crown Point, met with INDOT Commissioner Kurt Browning on Thursday to pitch the city's position that improvements to the Broadway Corridor -- the city's fastest growing commercial corridor -- need to be moved up on INDOT's priority list. The $8 million improvement project is slated for construction in 2012. Planned improvements include lane upgrades and signalization. The Chamber collected more than 5,000 signatures on a petition to move up the project's construction date. http://www.post-trib.com/news/955405,cpbroadway.article
TASK FORCE DEVELOPING BRIDGE PLAN
WHEEL TAX INCREASE IS 1ST STEP
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Amanda Iacone
5/16/08
Elected officials in Allen County's cities and towns plan to ask the County
Council as early as next month to increase the wheel tax and surtax to pay for
bridge maintenance. Officials met again Thursday to discuss alternative funding
to pay for maintaining and rebuilding the 321 bridges less than 200 feet long
scattered throughout the county. This was the first meeting of the bridge task
force since the county commissioners announced they will no longer pay for that
service beginning in January. A subcommittee of the task force plans to meet
Wednesday to draft a resolution for the council to consider. The surtax and
wheel taxes should be increased as much as necessary to generate enough money to
cover bridge-related expenses, New Haven Mayor Terry McDonald said. http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080516/LOCAL/805160441
U.S. 27 CONSTRUCTION WILL TAKE ABOUT 4 WEEKS
Palladium-Item
5/19/08
WINCHESTER, Ind. -- Construction begins Thursday for a $1.8 million U.S. Highway
27 resurfacing project, and drivers should expect single-lane traffic in some
areas. Construction crews are scheduled to excavate and build new turn lanes at
the Greenville Pike intersection between U.S. 36 in Lynn and County Road 300,
north of Winchester in Randolph County, according to a release from the Indiana
Department of Transportation. http://www.pal-item.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080519/NEWS01/805190310