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Community Crossings work will repave Washington Street in downtown Roachdale
ROACHDALE — A grant from the Indiana Department of Transportation will fund the majority of a repaving project covering two blocks of Washington Street in Roachdale.
INDOT announced Wednesday that the northern Putnam County town will receive $244,601.25, which will fund 75 percent of an estimated $326,135 project to repave the street from the railroad right-of-way on the west to Meridian Street on the east.
The eastern half of the work, between Indiana and Meridian streets, is what would most commonly be considered “downtown” Roachdale.
The work will include milling 1.5 inches deep, as well as areas of full depth patching. Then new asphalt will be laid 1.5 inches thick.
Additionally, all sidewalks will be removed and replaced, with 10 new handicap ramps installed on street corners and 650 feet of curbing.
The work will also include new parking space markings (including handicap spaces) as well as adjusting all water meters, manholes and valves for a smooth driving surface.
The project will replace cracked and failing asphalt on Washington Street, as well as multiple areas patched due to potholes or utility repairs.
“The project is in the heart of our downtown. This project is vital to our local economy,” the grant application stated. “This area is our highest priority for replacement as part of our transportation asset management plan.”
This was the second round of Community Crossings funding for 2021. Roachdale previously received funding in the second rounds in 2019 and 2020.
State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) was happy to see Community Crossings money coming back to a Putnam County Community and District 44.
“I think it’s fantastic to see it come back to the district,” Baird said. “As always, I’d like to see more come back, but I’m happy to see any come back.”
Other local municipalities, as well as Putnam County on several occasions, have received past funding.
Baird cited Community Crossings as a “great partnership” between state and local governments, as it helps communities — particilarly small communities like Roachdale — more easily fund major road projects.
“Community Crossings really helps local communities handle large projects much more quickly than they would otherwise,” Baird said. “It also frees up capital for the localities to pursue other, smaller projects while they work on these projects.”
INDOT announced a total of $101.9 million in funds to 218 cities, towns and counties on Wednesday.
“Community Crossings continues to have a transformative effect on communities across Indiana” Gov. Eric Holcomb said. “The partnership between the state and local governments is empowering Hoosier cities, towns and counties to invest more and take on bigger projects than ever before to modernize their local transportation systems to meet the demand of our growing economy.”
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.
Baird is especially pleased to see how Community Crossings affects the smaller communities like those he represents in rural West Central Indiana.
“From the state perspective, helping Putnam County and helping all the other counties in the state that are similar to Putnam County is helpful to the state as a whole,” Baird said. “Lifting all boats is helpful to everyone in the state.
“As we start to look at some of those census numbers and see how rural counties are shrinking, it’s ever more important that we remain vigilant in helping communities like ours,” he added.
State lawmakers identified long-term funding for Community Crossings as part of House Enrolled Act 1002, passed by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Holcomb in April 2017.
“Community Crossings is one of the most important tools available to our local partners to support their efforts to improve local roads and bridges,” INDOT Commissioner Joe McGuinness said. “Rebuilding and improving local roads, while also addressing safety needs, promotes growth and enhances the business environment and quality of place across Indiana.”
The Community Crossings initiative has provided more than $1 billion in state matching funds for local construction projects since 2016. Funding for Community Crossings comes from the state’s local road and bridge matching grant fund.