COLUMBUS, Ind. — The Bartholomew County commissioners have approved a contract with Milestone Contractors for the first phase of the county’s 2021 road overlay program. Commissioner Carl Lienhoop said that the total contract amount is approximately $1,725,580.
This initial phase includes 30 repaving projects that encompass 22.16 miles of county roads.
Milestone’s proposal was the lowest of four bids opened on June 7. One proposal was nearly $800,000 above Milestone’s offer.
Anticipating that the lowest bid would be higher, Bartholomew County successfully sought $950,000 from the Community Crossings matching grant program. That amount was intended to cover half the total costs, according to county highway engineer Danny Hollander. The 50% local match will come from conventional road funds received by the county.
But since Milestone’s bid came in lower than expected, the grant will be reduced to $862,750, Hollander said. The maximum a government entity can received annually through Community Crossings is $1 million. So with the reduction, Bartholomew County can apply for an additional $137,250 during the program’s second phase.
If awarded, the additional grant and matching local funds would total $274,500 — enough to repave up to three more miles of roads, according to Hollander. However, he noted that if the county receives a second-round grant, it would not be awarded until late in the year.
