County to receive $1 million in Community Crossings funds

Thursday, April 29, 2021
A motorcycle and pickup drive the newly-repaved area of West Walnut last summer. Through another round of Community Crossings funds, an additional four miles of West Walnut, as well as parts of three other roads, will be repaved in 2021.
Banner Graphic/JARED JERNAGAN

With $1 million in state funding now assured, Putnam County will be able to resurface more than 10 miles of county road with hot mix asphalt in 2021.

Though bids had already been submitted for the work, the county had been awaiting confirmation of the state’s 75-percent share in the project.

On Thursday afternoon, County Highway Supervisor Mike Ricketts shared with the Banner Graphic that the project will be funded through the Indiana Department of Transportation’s Community Crossings Grant program.

The county received bids from four contractors on the work — Milestone, Rieth-Riley, DC Construction and Midwest Paving.

Milestone submitted the lowest bid for the work at $1,243,021.56, which was $123,777.11 below the original estimated cost.

The Putnam County Commissioners appear likely to accept the bid from the Terre Haute-based contractor during their next meeting on Monday, May 3.

Ricketts recently said he hoped to contact Milestone about doing some additional work on the part of West Walnut that was resurfaced in 2020.

Hot mix work set for 2021 will include:

• 2.534 miles of Bainbridge-Roachdale Road,

• 4.056 miles of West Walnut,

• 2.4 miles of Lonestar Road (County Road 150 West) and

• 1.331 miles of Broadpark Road (County Road 1000 West).

Portions of all four roads were also resurfaced as part of the 2020 Community Crossings program.

Ricketts recently shared his entire road plan for 2021 with the commissioners, a plan that also includes 32.65 miles of chip and seal work and 28 miles of grind and double chip and seal.

Added to the 10.32 miles of hot mix, that brings the total to 71.97 miles of new surface on county roads this year.

Shortly after the county released the information, Gov. Eric Holcomb and INDOT Commissioner Joe McGuinness formally announced that 218 Indiana counties, cities and towns would receive a combined $100.2 million in state matching funds through the first Community Crossings cycle of 2021.

“Superior transportation infrastructure – from interstates to local roads and everything connecting in between – make our communities safer attractive places to do business and create jobs,” Holcomb said. “Thriving communities, in turn, provide exceptional places for Hoosiers to call home and raise families. With that in mind, I’m so pleased to invest and partner with local leaders to deliver on high-priority projects that keep Indiana moving forward.”

The Community Crossings initiative has provided more than $931 million in state matching funds for local construction projects since 2016.

Communities submitted applications for funding during a competitive call for projects held in January. Applications were evaluated based on need and current conditions and impacts to safety and economic development.

Funding for Community Crossings comes from the state’s local road and bridge matching grant fund.

“Community Crossings is a major asset to Indiana cities, towns and counties as they build and modernize local roads and bridges,” McGuinness said. “The state’s funding partnership allows local partners to tackle larger scale project more quickly than would otherwise be possible, maximize their resources to complete more projects and achieve the best possible value for Hoosiers.”

To qualify for funding, local governments must provide local matching funds, 50 percent for larger communities or 25 percent for smaller communities, from a funding source approved for road and bridge construction. State law requires annually that 50 percent of the available matching funds be awarded to communities within counties with a population of 50,000 or fewer.

No other communities in Putnam County received funding in this cycle.

Nearby, Brazil received $324,936.97; Clay County, $1 million; Danville, $52,667.25; Hendricks County, $1 million; Lizton, $164,520; Martinsville, $467,550; Morgan County, $1 million; New Richmond, $31,406.25; Owen County, $961,951.11; Spencer, $220,663.08; and Waveland, $89,167.49.

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  • Woo Hoo!

    Now just keep the big trucks from Buzzi off of 150W/75W

    Thank you!

    -- Posted by buster9000 on Fri, Apr 30, 2021, at 4:22 AM
  • Thank you Sheriff Department.

    -- Posted by buster9000 on Fri, Apr 30, 2021, at 4:26 AM
  • Banner-Graphic: Please publish the 2021 road plan so people don't have to call the Highway Department to check on the status of their roads.

    -- Posted by Ben Dover on Fri, Apr 30, 2021, at 9:03 AM
  • Please, please, please can you repave CR 25E. I have been begging for help for 3 years. This road is pathetic. Driving in the ditch is the smoothest surface. And please don't just pitch out some patch from a shovel for us to run over and try to smash down for you. Repaving roads that are in far better shape than 25E is a waste of tax dollars when there are tax payers that also deserve a smooth road to drive on. Tried calling county commissioner but he won't return my call. Any suggestions?

    -- Posted by agatha on Mon, May 3, 2021, at 10:59 AM
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