The county will receive more than $4 million in state money to help repair roads next year in most of its cities and towns, but a majority of the funding will go to Center Grove area neighborhoods.
Johnson County communities will receive $4.1 million in Community Crossing grants for 2021 road projects, the state announced last week.
About half of the $4.1 million will go to repairing streets in White River Township subdivisions that have aging concrete roads. All of Greenwood and Johnson County’s $1 million shares will be spent in those neighborhoods.
City and county officials say the subdivision work will repair some of the worst areas in many subdivisions with aging infrastructure. Both of the projects will convert the streets to asphalt, simplifying future maintenance.
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In Greenwood, work will take place in the Meridian Meadows and Kensington Park neighborhoods, on several streets that were built to 1970s standards, according to a City of Greenwood news release. The project area includes Waterford Drive from Meridian Meadows Road to Prairie Drive; Prairie Drive from Waterford Drive to Cambridge Drive; Cambridge Drive from Meridian Meadows Road to Prairie Drive; and Saville Row from Howard Road to the Saville Row cul-de-sac.
In Johnson County, the roadwork will take place across three White River Township subdivisions. In the Buckmoor subdivision, work will take place on Buckmoor Parkway, Buckmoor Circle, Turkey Pen Drive and Turkey Pen Circle. In the Wood Creek subdivision, work will be done to Woodcreek Court, Pin Oak Court and Birch Court. In Willow Lakes, work is planned on Lake Crossing Drive and Willow Street.
Long-needed roadwork in those neighborhoods was a focus of the county’s grant application because many have aging infrastructure and it i costly to convert concrete to asphalt, said Luke Mastin, the county’s highway director. The extensive projects include removing the concrete, installing subsurface drains, replacing curbs and laying down new pavement.
“Full reconstruction projects like this are very expensive, which limits the number of roads that can be addressed within our budget,” Mastin said. “We’re grateful for this award as it will allow us to stretch our dollars much further and accomplish more of this reconstruction work than we could have on our own.”
The projects will improve both road conditions and drainage in the area. The neighborhoods were built at a time when sub-surface drains were not required, which has led to poor subgrade conditions that impact the deteriorating streets as well, he said.
Nearly $1 million will allow Bargersville to reconstruct portions of Baldwin Street from South Street to Plank Road; South Street from Baldwin Street to 250 feet East of Carlisle Street; and Whiteland Road. The grant will help the town shore up infrastructure in anticipation of Interstate 69, said Julie Young, town manager.
“As the town anticipates growth and increased traffic from the I-69 expansion in the coming years, it’s more important than ever to ensure our roads are in great shape for residents and visitors,” Young said.
In Edinburgh, $666,825 will be used to reconstruct South Walnut Street through the town’s industrial park. The grant will help the town reconstruct the old county road which wasn’t built for commercial truck traffic, said Wade Watson, the town’s building commissioner.
Franklin’s $260,420 grant will be used to reconstruct State Street from South Street to the city limit. The project will update one of the worst roads in the city, Mayor Steve Barnett said.
“It has been deteriorating for the last couple of years and it is getting worse as we speak,” Barnett said.
In Princes Lakes, $176,076 will repair Gerking Drive, Slevins Drive and Greenwalt Drive, and parts of Stopek Drive and Dyson Drive. Each of the roads will be milled and repaved, said Arec Burton, street superintendent.
Johnson County communities are among 240 Indiana cities, counties and towns that received a combined total of more than $101 million, according to an Indiana Department of Transportation news release. Grant funding can be used for road and bridge preservation, road reconstruction, intersection improvements, guardrail replacements and signage.
Smaller local governments are are required to provide a 25% match of state funds, while large communities must provide a 50% match. Locally, Franklin, Greenwood and Johnson County will provide 50% matching funds, while Bargersville, Edinburgh and Princes Lakes will be responsible for 25%.
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Here is a look at how much each local government got from the state as part of its Community Crossings grant program:
Johnson County, $1 million
Greenwood $1 million
Bargersville, $999,750
Edinburgh, $666,825
Franklin $260,420
Princes Lakes $176,076
Source: Indiana Department of Transportation
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