HOPE — It has been three months since the town of Hope signed a contract to repave two streets. But due to the wet weather, the work won’t begin until next month.
Robertson Paving of Flat Rock submitted the winning bid in Phase One of Hope’s Community Crossings matching grant allocation. The company was hired to mill down two sections of street, put a half-inch of asphalt down to serve as the driving surface, town manager Frank Owens said.
The improvements will be made to Aiken Street, between Jackson and South streets, as well as to Schaefer Drive on the town’s far south side.
During the last town council meeting, project consultant Steve Robertson of Strand Associates, Inc. said the contractor has indicated the overlay work won’t begin until Aug. 9, with substantial completion expected on Aug. 29.
That prompted council members John Walstad and Clyde Compton to express frustration that the work isn’t already underway.
“I think that three times putting this off is enough,” Compton said. “We’ve been shoved to the bottom of the ladder.”
But the project consultant explained the delay has been caused by excessive rain over the past three months. Several days of precipitation not only forced postponements for the road crews, but also caused them to return to other communities where the rain had damaged recently-completed work, Robertson said.
In addition, the town’s contract does not specify a start date for the overlay work to begin. Rather, it only stipulates that the entire project must be completed no later than Aug. 29, he said.
Meanwhile, the council agreed to seeking a matching grant through Phase Two of Community Crossings to help fund three street improvements.
Grand Street, from Main Street to Walnut Street
High Street, from Main Street to Harrison Street
Locust Street, from Main Street to Maple Street
The cost of putting down new asphalt for these three projects is estimated at $138,889. That is well within the $150,000 maximum grant amount that Hope can request, Owens said.
If the grant through the Indiana Department of Transportation is awarded, the town of Hope will only be required to match 25%. In contrast, both the city of Columbus and Bartholomew County government are large enough that they have to provide a 50-50 match.
But even though the due date to submit applications is July 30, Phase Two grant recipients won’t be announced until late this fall and funds won’t be received until after asphalt plants close for the winter.
That mean that even if the town gets the money, work on Grand, High and Locust streets won’t begin until next spring, Owens said.
