INDOT project will bring major city utility work

Thursday, May 23, 2019

When the major reconstruction of U.S. 231 through Greencastle takes place in 2021 or 2022, the city is expected to tackle some significant infrastructure work of its own.

“I’ve been talking to INDOT (the Indiana Department of Transportation) about the major reconstruction project,” Mayor Bill Dory told the City Council at its May meeting, “and part of that will involve replacing our Jackson Street waterline and possibly some additional waterline on Washington Street.”

The Jackson Street waterline to be replaced is one in which a liner was installed several years ago. That was an attempt to extend the life of a line that apparently is one of the early waterlines put in when the city water plant was constructed.

While that work is expected to be a costly venture, Mayor Dory said, “There is a mechanism where we can appeal to INDOT for some additional financial support for that. We received a letter earlier this month on what we have to compile for that, so we’ll be working on that.”

City Clerk-Treasurer Lynda Dunbar will need to provide a financial report, Dory said, along with other documentation.

“That’s still forthcoming,” the mayor said. “I don’t know what the outcome of that will be but if we don’t get the financial support, that will be a fairly significant investment by our water utility.”

Meanwhile, INDOT has scheduled resurfacing work on U.S. 231 for this summer although initial bids on the work were rejected as higher than engineers’ estimates.

Councilman Mark Hammer asked if the work would consist of patching or a complete repaving.

“I believe it’s going to be continuous resurfacing,” Dory said, “because there are so many potholes and patches and things like that.”

Basically, he said, INDOT has determined that the present pavement ”is not going to last another two or three years until the bigger project, so they’re going to give it some additional attention.”

The overlay asphalt, planned essentially from the railroad tracks at the north end of Greencastle to U.S. 40, is expected to at least provide a smooth surface until such time as the full-scale restoration project is undertaken. According to the INDOT contract, resurfacing work is scheduled for completion by Oct. 18.

The work was bid May 8 as part of a project that included resurfacing of U.S. 40, east of Brazil in Clay County. However, the lone bid of $4.8 million by Wabash Valley Asphalt, Terre Haute, was rejected. Bids will be readvertised for a July letting, INDOT said.

As far as the major reconstruction project goes, Mayor Dory said he has met with INDOT officials a couple times.

“They’re still doing research and design,” he said. “There’s no big set of plans yet, just a few schematics.”

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