Within the Columbus area, Edinburgh is the largest recipient of this year’s second round of Community Crossings matching grants issued by the Indiana Department of Transportation.
The community that bridges Bartholomew, Johnson and Shelby counties will receive $883,622 for road and related infrastructure improvements, according to an INDOT announcement.
The money will be spent on the total reconstruction of High School Drive, located two blocks north of Resthaven Cemetery between U.S. 31 and South Eisenhower Drive, Edinburgh Town Manager Dan Cartwright said.
New pavement, curbs, sidewalks and lighting are all part of the improvements that Cartwright says constitutes one of the main entrances into Edinburgh.
Currently, the town is in Phase One of construction as they make drainage repairs including installing a new storm sewer down the middle of the street, the town manager said.
“Once that is completed, I think we are going to do a whole new street,” Cartwright said.
With a population of only 4,480 residents, the town of Edinburgh will be required to match 25% of the grant.
In contrast, cities and counties with significantly larger populations such as Columbus and Bartholomew County are required to match 50% of a Community Crossings grant.
The city of Columbus is the second largest recipient with $519,100, the INDOT announcement states.
Executive Director of Public Works/City Engineer Dave Hayward says the grant will be utilized to make concrete street repairs in the Riverview Acres subdivision.
Bartholomew County government was awarded $137,210 that will be used to put a new layer of asphalt on almost four miles of roads located in seven different locations, county highway engineer Danny Hollander said.
When the first distributions of grants were announced in May, Columbus received $689,351 to fund six different road projects while Bartholomew County government was provided $990,928 to do 30 overlay projects that covered 22 miles.
So both Hayward and Hollander say their respective local governments both received the maximum $1 million allotted on an annual basis.
The town of Hope will receive a $106,417 grant to cover most of the costs for three planned street projects scheduled for next year. Those include:
Grand Street, from Main Street to Walnut Street
High Street, from Main Street to Harrison Street
Locust Street, from Main Street to Maple Street
Like Edinburgh, Hope only has to pay 25% of the matching grant.
