U.S. 231 contract news sparks Council discussion
City Council President Mark Hammer didn’t mince words when it came to assessing the pavement condition of U.S. 231 through Greencastle.
“I would venture to say there is not a worse stretch of 231 between Chicago and Owensboro, Ky., and I don’t know why we’re being treated like this. I’m pretty fed up with it,” Hammer said.
“I’m sure there’s not a worse stretch of any road in the Crawfordsville District either.”
Hammer’s comments came after Mayor Bill Dory told the City Council at its August meeting that INDOT (Indiana Department of Transportation) has received three bids for the reconstruction of U.S. 231 through Greencastle, from Frazier Street on the north to Veterans Memorial Highway on the south. The bids ranged from $12.3 million to $13.7 million, Dory reported.
“So it looks like they’ll be able to make an award to the low bidder,” the mayor advised.
Hammer asked about the projected timeline of the work, which will be broken into two phases, likely beginning with the section from Washington Street south on Bloomington Street. The Frazier Street-to-Bloomington Street portion will be the most intensive with replacement of the city water main coming during that work.
“I’ve been hearing everything’s been kicked back another year,” Hammer said, seeking input from the mayor.
“I can’t really answer that until they award the contract,” Dory responded. “We were originally told they were going to start on Bloomington Street this fall. I’ve also been told they might start next year, but it would be up to the contractor. If they’re not busy and they want to dig in, I’m sure INDOT is not going to slow them down.”
Nonetheless, Dory said under terms of the contract, the contractor will be required to conduct a public meeting to explain what work will be accomplished during each year of the contract.
Reacting to Hammer’s comments about the current conditions along U.S. 231, the mayor says he has stayed in touch with INDOT but admits his own frustration.
“The governor should be thankful I’m not giving out his phone number,” Dory said, alluding to numerous complaint calls the city has received.
Noting the “Highway to the Danger Zone” sign at Humphreys’ Outdoor Power on the north end of town, Hammer said he would not be adverse to putting up temporary signs at both ends of town stating that the city isn’t responsible, giving INDOT’s phone number and stating “travel at your own risk.”
The mayor said his office sent a copy of the Banner Graphic column about the state of the roadway, complete with the Danger Zone photo to INDOT, which responded by sending patching crews to town last week, just as the enormous crater developed in front of St. Paul’s Catholic Church.
“I’m glad that they did that,” Hammer said. “I would have been happier if they’d done it three months ago. I would encourage you to make them aware to come back in October or November and get that done again before the (asphalt) batch plants close, and again in the spring when the batch plants reopen because it’s going to just fall apart.
“I would like for that to be put on their agenda so they don’t let it go and let it go and let it go to the point where it was as ugly as it was this time.”
But Hammer wasn’t finished.
“They’re just mistreating us flat out, and it’s a black eye on the city,” he continued. “People come in here and they think it’s us, and it’s terrible. I’m disgusted with it.”
Mayor Dory reiterated that the Crawfordsville District Office of INDOT has been “great to work with,” and reminded the Council that as a result of the project, INDOT is “paying for a significant city water line, and they’re paying 80 percent, which is a significant investment to benefit our ratepayers. I’ve been trying to be very diplomatic in this while being thankful that they are making that significant investment in our water system.”
“I understand that,” Hammer replied. “But I can’t tell you how many times over the last month or so I’ve driven through the park (to avoid U.S. 231 potholes). The one at Spring Street, you couldn’t avoid it, you had to plow right through it.”
The mayor noted that he’s made INDOT aware that “people are having to divert out of their travel lane to avoid the potholes.”
Councilman Adam Cohen said he also wished he had possessed the governor’s cellphone number recently.
“I got some very angry emails the other day,” Cohen said, “from some people who had come to Bridges and were very upset about 231. I didn’t have a cellphone number to give them but I gave them his email and a website link. I explained, ‘It’s not my problem, I can’t fix 231.’”
In a related matter, Mayor Dory announced that the new date for the CSX crossing closure for repairs just north of Shadowlawn Avenue is Aug. 22-25.
Dory said he also expects CSX to be in town as early as this week to work on other railroad crossings.
“We suspected that local crossings might get worked on as well, and that’s been confirmed,” the mayor said.
Dory also reported that four bids have been received on the Locust Street stormwater project that is going to be managed by INDOT, ranging from $2.2 million to $2.6 million.
“That’s higher than the original project (estimate),” the mayor pointed out. “INDOT has agreed to increase the federal share on that. We’ll have to increase our 20 percent match some but it looks like they’ll be able to award that contract as well and we’ll be able to coordinate the two projects from the storm drainage standpoint and move forward.
“I don’t have a timetable yet on exactly how it’s going to play out,” Dory added. “We’ll have a better idea once INDOT makes the actual award to the contractors.”