By Millicent Martin Emery
Cambridge City and Centerville are among the communities in Wayne, Henry and Randolph counties that have just received hundreds of thousands of dollars for road and sidewalk improvements.
Three Wayne County towns received a total of more than $618,000 in matching grants; eastern Henry County towns received more than $100,000; and Randolph County successfully applied for more than $1 million.
Cambridge City received $202,500, Centerville received $116,834.78, and Hagerstown received $298,717.65 to help make expensive road or sidewalk projects more affordable. Small towns are responsible for providing 25 percent of the projects’ cost.
Cambridge City
Town officials applied for funds to improve North Foote Street from Main Street to Creitz Park to help improve safe park access for all.
Crews will mill and resurface the road and install new sidewalks where they are needed with updated ramps that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Doug Young, who serves as superintendent for public works in Cambridge City, said the town has no sidewalk that leads to the park. He hopes to have more wheelchair-accessible paths through the park to the playground area in the future.
“It squeezes my budget, but it’s a great grant program that’s hard to turn down,” Young said. “We can do more than we can do with the regular budget, and anytime you can spend more money without raising taxes, it’s a good day.”
Young said the town hopes to go out for bids in late January or early February to get the roadwork scheduled for later in the year.
Park visitors will notice a few more improvements next year that are separate from the road grant. From money saved in the town’s parks budget, Young has purchased a mommy-baby swing, two ADA-compliant swings (ages 2-5 and 5 and older), paint on existing merry-go-rounds and swing sets, and more ground covering under the play area. Although money might not be in the budget next year, he’d like to resurface the park’s basketball court in the future.
Three trees were planted in the park last year, and Young plans to plant two more this fall. He said for every two trees that have to be removed because of old age or rot, he sets a goal of planting three. Young welcomes donations to help plant good-quality trees in the park.
Centerville
Excited is a word that Centerville Town Manager Kevin Slick and Clerk-Treasurer Susan Dillman both used to describe their reaction to the news they’ve received money for street upgrades.
Slick said the state award will be used to wedge, level and pave Eliason Road from Main Street (U.S. 40) to College Corner Boulevard. Milling 1-1/2” of existing asphalt surface, tacking the existing surface, and a 1-1/2” asphalt overlay for Cotton Wood Lane from Sunset Avenue to the end of the cul-de-sac, Water Street from 3rd to 4th Street, Ash Street from Main Street (U.S. 40) to the dead end, and Short Street from Union Street from North Street Main Street (U.S. 40) to the dead end.
The total estimate cost for this project is $155,780. It will be covered with the $116,834.78 Community Crossings grant and $38,945.22 in local funds will be used to complete in 2019.
“I have to say we are very excited that we are able to work with the Community Crossings program once again,” Dillman said. “We are excited to have so many great things happening in Centerville.”
Nearby; grants at a glance
In Henry County, Lewisville received $34,867.50, Straughn received $42,080.62 and Spiceland received $33,607.50.
Randolph County received $999,999.99, and the town of Lynn received $381,605.87. Farmland received $209,001.73, and Ridgeville received $144,493.50.
Indiana Gov. Eric J. Holcomb and INDOT Commissioner Joe McGuinness announced the $100 million in state matching funds for local road projects in 283 Indiana cities, towns and counties after 444 communities applied.
Now in its third year, Community Crossings has awarded nearly $400 million in state matching funds to local governments for construction projects.
The list of all communities receiving matching funds in 2018 can be found at www.in.gov/indot/communitycrossings.
By Millicent Martin Emery