Six deteriorating roadways in the Columbus area will received a new blacktop this spring in a project jointly funded by the city and the state.
On Tuesday, the Columbus Board of Public Works and Safety awarded Milestone Contractors, Inc. of Columbus a $1,395,500 contract to repave the follow sections of streets or roads.
Central Avenue, from Laurel Drive to Rocky Ford Road
13th Street, from Michigan Avenue to Central Avenue
County Road 400N, from U.S. 31 east to the city limits.
Cessna Drive, from Middle Road to Autumn Ridge Drive
Interlake Drive, from Barker Drive to Norcross Drive in the Woodside Industrial Park
Inwood Drive, from Norcross Drive to Barker Drive.
Milestone and Dave O’Mara Contractors of North Vernon had submitted bids for these projects a week ago, according to Aimee Morris of the city engineer’s office. But Milestone’s base bid was less that the $1.57 million bid received from O’Mara.
Under the contract approved Tuesday, Milestone has July 1 to complete the work, Morris said.
Launched in 2016, the Community Crossings Matching Grant Program is intended to do more than just make improvements to local road and bridges. According to the Indiana Department. of Transportation website, this program was created to invest in infrastructure projects that catalyze economic development, create jobs, and strengthen local transportation networks.
Columbus received $349,816 in Community Crossings funding in the first round of grant awards.
This round’s funding put Columbus among 283 Indiana cities, towns and counties that received $100 million in state-matching funds through program grants that were announced in late 2018.
Smaller cities and counties in Indiana receiving grants through Community Crossings only have to pay 25 percent of all costs, while the state picks up 75 percent.
But for communities the size of Columbus, Community Crossings is a 50/50 matching grant program.
