There weren’t enough chairs in Conference Room 3 at Columbus City Hall as more than 30 people attended an open house by the Columbus Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO).
City officials presented the updated Transportation Improvement Program on Monday, which detailed major road improvement projects planned in Bartholomew County during the next five years. The projects in the plan include road improvements, bridge replacements and improvements to the People Trail, among others.
The open house was part of a 30-day public comment period that ends on Friday.
“People were really interested in the projects,” said Laura Thayer, transportation planner for CAMPO, who hosted the open house.
“I was glad that Danny Hollander (Bartholomew County engineer), Dave Hayward (city engineer) and Emily Pinkston, our bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, were there. There were a lot of specialists who could give details on the projects.”
CAMPO is the Columbus Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, which handles transportation planning for the city and county.
Thayer said the comments will be submitted the CAMPO Policy Board, which oversees transportation planning in CAMPO’s jurisdiction. The board is scheduled to consider the transportation plan for approval at its May 13 meeting at 1:30 p.m. in the council chambers at Columbus City Hall.
The board has seven voting members, including Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop, city and county officials and one representative from the Indiana Department of Transportation. The board has two non-voting members, Joyce Newland of the Federal Highway Administration and Alexandria Burns of the Federal Transit Administration.
Each year, CAMPO receives federal money for road construction projects. Typically, federal dollars cover 80 percent of the projects’ cost and the city and county pay the remaining 20 percent.
In fiscal year 2020, CAMPO will receive an estimated $1.85 million, according to city figures. In 2019, CAMPO received $1.81 million.
County council member Bill Lentz, who is on the CAMPO Policy Board, said turnout at the open house was great and that “we needed a bigger room.”
“We’re fortunate that we can get these matching funds,” he said. “A lot of projects in the county wouldn’t be done if it weren’t for these state and federal funds.”
John Crofts, a Bartholomew County resident who said he bicycles from Edinburgh to Columbus two to three times per week, came to the open house to voice concern over what he said was a lack of pedestrian accessibility on State Road 46 between Goeller Road and Johnson Boulevard, which he called “one of his pet peeves.”
“As a cyclist, I’m interested in any (transit) plans and offering suggestions,” he said. “It’s long overdue that the city dealt with the fact that (that stretch of State Road 46) is inaccessible to pedestrians.”
Thayer said the open house wasn’t the last chance for people to comment. Written or telephone comments are being accepted through Friday.
“There’s still an opportunity to comment,” she said. “I’m always happy to get people’s comments when they come in.”
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If you were unable to attend the Columbus Area Metropolitan Planning Organization open house and wish to submit a comment, contact Laura Thayer, transportation planner. The public comment period ends Friday.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 812-376-2550
Mail: Laura Thayer, Columbus City Hall, 123 Washington Street, Columbus IN 47201
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CAMPO, the acronym for the Columbus Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, is the metropolitan planning organization for the Columbus area. Metropolitan Planning Organizations receive federal transportation planning and construction funds and are in charge of transportation planning in their designated planning areas. CAMPO’s planning area covers all of Bartholomew County. In Indiana, federal transportation funds are dispersed through the Indiana Department of Transportation, MPOs and local governments.
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Lowell Road bridge
The bridge over the Driftwood River on Lowell Road would be replaced to go along with a widened Lowell Road. Construction is slated to begin in FY 2022.
- Federal contribution: $2.3 million
- Local contribution: $575,000
Lowell Road
The improvements to Lowell Road would include widening the road to two lanes in each direction between CR 325 W., just west of the Driftwood River, until Indianapolis Road, east of U.S. 31.
Phase 1 of the project would be managed by Bartholomew County and would run from CR 325 W. until the city limits on CR 200 W. The county portion of the road would be widened enough to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians.
The second phase, which is scheduled to start construction in FY 2023, would pick up where phase 1 left off and continue along Lowell Road until Indianapolis Road. The city portion of the street would have sidewalks and gutters.
- Federal contribution (phase 1): $1.7 million
- Local contribution (phase 1): $427,872
- Federal contribution (phase 2): $2.5 million
- Local contribution (phase 2): $646,165
County Road 350W
(Goeller Road to State Road 46)
Curbs, gutters and bicycle and pedestrian facilities will be added along CR 350 W. from Goeller Road to State Road 46.
Additionally, Goeller Road from Tipton Lakes Boulevard until Oakbrook Drive would be improved, potentially with curbs, gutters and sidewalks. However, local officials said it’s too early to tell what specifically would be done to the road.
Construction wouldn’t begin on CR 325 W. or Goeller Road until FY 2024, according to CAMPO’s draft transportation improvement plan.
- Federal contribution: $3.3 million
- Local contribution: $825,470
People Trail
A proposed project would make improvements to the People Trail from Noblitt Park to Lincoln Park along 19th Street and 17th Street to improve safety for bicycles and pedestrians.
Phase 1 would run from Noblitt Park to Donner Park on 17th Street. Phase 2 would go from Lincoln Park to Donner Park along 19th Street. Construction on Phase 1 is scheduled to start in FY 2020. Phase 2 construction would start in fiscal year 2021.
- Federal contribution (Phase 1): $202,500
- Local contribution (Phase 1): $22,500
- Federal contribution (Phase 2): $202,500
- Local contribution (Phase 2): $22,500
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