Dozens of road projects in neighborhoods and main thoroughfares in New Whiteland and Franklin are being repaired, rebuilt or paved with money from the state.
Franklin and New Whiteland were each awarded Community Crossings grants from the Indiana Department of Transportation to make improvements to streets in their communities, and the roadwork is underway.
In total, they received nearly $2 million, with Franklin receiving $1 million and New Whiteland receiving $898,946.
Morgantown, which is just across the county’s southwest line, also received $143,646.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
The Community Crossing Matching Grant Program launched in 2016 and allows cities, towns and counties to apply for grants that will enable them to make improvements to their roads and bridges. The state awarded more than $115 million in the last grant cycle to cities and towns across the state.
Smaller communities with fewer than 10,000 people such as New Whiteland are required to put in 25 percent of a project’s cost with the state’s 75 percent grant, while larger cities such as Franklin were required to match the state’s grant. Work has started or been completed on the roads in both communities and work using the grant money is expected to be completed this fall.
Franklin is using the money on 22 road projects across the city. All of the work is estimated to cost about $2.25 million. The state is covering $1 million, with the city contributing $1.25 million from local road and street funds that are funded by a gas tax and motor vehicle and highway funds, said Mark Richards, city engineer in Franklin.
Main thoroughfares in Franklin are included in the project, including Commerce Parkway from Graham Road to Arvin Road and Jefferson Street from Westview Drive to 1,000 feet from the fairground entrance.
Other roads are in neighborhoods across the city, including in Franklin Lakes, Windstar, Camelot Estates, Branigin Creek, Hillview Village, Knollwood Farms and some streets north of downtown are being paved.
Road projects were chosen based on the need using a rating system, Richards said.
New Whiteland’s money will be used on projects in the town’s main thoroughfare, including Tracy Road near County Road 25 West.
Neighborhoods roads in New Whiteland will also be getting improvements including Belaire Drive from Sawmill Road to Mooreland Drive; Granada Place from Hollybrook Drive to Delbrook Drive; Middle Drive from Northlane to Southlane drives and Oakland Way from Rypma Road to the road’s dead end.
Multiple roads in Hilltop Farms Boulevard are getting work at multiple intersections.
New Whiteland must match up to 25 percent of the $898,946.91 of the money they received. The match is coming from the town’s local street and roads fund, clerk-treasurer Maribeth Alspach said.
Both communities have received the grants before with Franklin receiving between $300,000 and $1 million in four grant cycles. New Whiteland has received the grant three times.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”At a glance” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Here are a look at road projects in Franklin and New Whiteland that will be completed with help from nearly $2 million from a Community Crossing grant from the Indiana Department of Transportation.
Franklin
- Commerce Parkway: Graham Road to Arvin Road
- Arvin Road: Commerce Parkway to Hurricane Road
- Jefferson Street: Westview Drive to 1,000 feet west of Fairgrounds Street
- Franklin Lakes Boulevard: Foxtail Drive to Supernova Drive
- Franklin Lakes Boulevard: U.S. 31 to Lake Crossing Lane
- Ironwood Drive: U.S. 31 to Lake Crossing Lane
- Orion Drive: Lake Shore Drive to North Shore Boulevard
- Shore View Court: Lake Crossing Drive to the road’s dead end
- Galahad Drive: Guenevere Court to the road’s dead end.
- King Arthur Drive: Lionel Lane to Merlin Drive
- Lancelot Drive: King Arthur Drive to Pelenor Drive
- Pelenor Drive: Lancelot Drive to Castle Drive
- Wright Court: Galahad Drive to the road’s dead end.
- Branigin Creek Boulevard: Fielding Court to Woodfield Boulevard
- Carriage Court : Carriage Lane to the dead end
- Carriage Lane: Eastview Drive to the dead end
- Edwards Street: Jefferson Street to King Street
- Knollwood Court: Fair Oaks Drive to the dead end
- Meadowview Court: Meadow Glen Boulevard to the dead end
- Park Avenue: 1st Street to Forsythe Street
- Schoolhouse Road: Francis Street to Crescent Street
- Yandes Street: Hamilton Avenue to Pratt Street
New Whiteland
- Belaire Drive: Sawmill Road to Mooreland Drive
- Granada Place: Hollybrook Drive to Delbrook Drive
- Middle Drive: Northlane Drive to Southlane Drive
- Oakland Way: Rypma Row to the road’s dead end
- Tracy Ridge Boulevard: Pine Court to Beech Court
- Tracy Ridge Boulevard: Beech Court to Berwyn Beech Court
- Hilltop Farms Boulevard: County Road 25W. to Spend A Buck Court
- Hilltop Farms Boulevard: Spend A Buck Court to Chateaugay Court
- Hilltop Farms Boulevard: Chateaugay Court to Hilltop Farms East
- Hilltop Farms Boulevard: Hilltop Farms South to Edgewood Avenue
- Harvest Meadow Way: Hawthorn Bloom to Hickory Pine
- Harvest Meadow Way: Hickory Pine to Country Gate Drive
- Hawthorn Bloom: Tracy Road to Harvest Meadow Way
- Spend A Buck Court
- Chateaugay Court
- Tracy Ridge Boulevard: Pine Court, past Berwyn Road, to Poplar Court
- Tracy Road at County Road 25 West.
[sc:pullout-text-end]
