By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Projects to enhance safety around the North Adams Schools campus received approval from Decatur City Council at its meeting Tuesday night.
If state funding is secured, the work will involve crossing upgrades, including overhead signage, and a left-hand turn lane on Jackson St. at the US 224 intersection in front of the school campus. The crossings and the turn lane are separate projects.
“We are trying to rectify some safety issues out there,” Mayor Dan Rickord said. “The school has worked with us and we’ve already made some improvements.
“It’s making the crossings more visible,” he continued. “These are good projects, keeping our kids safe.”
Beth Johnson, a representative of USI Consultants, was on hand at the meeting to talk about details, including funding. “We will take you through the entire process,” she told city council after first meeting with the board of works and safety.
Johnson said the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has $50 million available for projects such as these, and she is confident funds can be secured by Decatur.
Funding would come on a 90/10 basis, with the city needing to provide a 10% match of the total price.
“This would be a great opportunity to do this, if we get the funding,” Operations Manager Jeremy Gilbert said.
“These are projects that will not require a lot of construction, so they are ‘fast’ projects,” Johnson explained.
The board of works gave the mayor the authority to sign papers for the grant, and the council approved paying the USI bill thusly: $5,000 out of public works money for the crossings project and $10,000 in federal ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) monies for the Jackson St. work.
About the Author
