CROTHERSVILLE

Improvements to some Crothersville streets will be performed in the coming months by a Seymour company.

All-Star Paving submitted the lowest of five bids for the work at $374,116.43.

Last year, Crothersville applied for funding from the Community Crossings matching grant program for the first time.

In October, town officials learned they received $423,406.10 to put toward the project, which will include milling and paving some streets and in several cases adding Americans with Disabilities Act-approved ramps, storm pipes and inlets. There are 14 projects scheduled.

Since the winning bid came in much lower than anticipated and was lower than the town’s awarded funding, the state shared via email that there will be no change orders, said Brad Bender with FPBH Inc. in North Vernon, the town’s engineering consultant.

The good news is that the town’s 25 percent match will be lower than anticipated.

The state will roll over the leftover money to distribute in 2019.

“It means there will be more money next year,” Bender said. “They are doing this different every year. This is only the second year (of Community Crossings), and I’m sure it will be different in the third year.”

Kevin Heilman, president of All-Star Paving, said the work schedule will be ironed out during a preconstruction meeting.

Some of the culverts, sidewalks and ramps could be done within the next couple of months when the weather is better.

Heilman said his plan is to try to get as much of the paving done as possible before the town’s Red, White & Blue Festival in June so streets aren’t torn up. He also said he doesn’t want to interfere with school buses needing to use the streets.

“Let’s get some good weather in, and overnight temperatures is what we’re after to do a nice, slick job,” Heilman said.

Substantial completion is expected by July 12, and final completion should be by Aug. 11.

The other bids for the project were $443,314.09 from Dave O’Mara Contractor Inc. of North Vernon, $468,862.25 from Wingham Paving of Charlestown, $494,520.05 from Globe Asphalt Paving Co. of Westport and $581,061.57 from BP2 Construction of Seymour.

A record $150 million in state matching funds for local road projects was awarded to 396 Indiana cities, towns and counties as part of the Next Level Roads: Community Crossings Initiative.

A record 467 communities applied for funds, and that was a 48 percent increase from 2016, according to a news release from the Indiana Department of Transportation.

Community Crossings was created by the Indiana General Assembly in 2016. Funds for the program are awarded from the state’s local road and bridge matching grant fund, according to INDOT.

To qualify for funding, local governments must provide local matching funds — 50 percent for larger communities or 25 percent for smaller communities — from a funding source approved for road and bridge construction. They also must submit an INDOT-approved asset management plan for maintaining existing roads and bridges.

Through the two years of the program, nearly $300 million has been awarded.

State law requires annually that 50 percent of the available matching funds be awarded to communities with a population of 50,000 or fewer, according to INDOT.

State lawmakers identified long-term funding for Community Crossings as part of House Enrolled Act 1002, passed by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb in April.

INDOT estimates $190 million in matching funds will be available for local communities to apply for this year to do projects in 2019.

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These Crothersville streets will have work done in the coming months:

East Street from Moore Street to terminus, including Virginia Court

West Street from Moore Street to East Street

Bethany Road from Howard Street to town limits

Kovener Street from Main Street to Benham Avenue

Park Avenue from Main Street to Benham Avenue

Rider Avenue from Bethany Road to Kovener Street

Benham Avenue from Bethany Road to Kovener Street

Jackson Street from Main Street to Coleman Street

East Bard Street from Seymour Road to Preston Street

East Walnut Street from Seymour Road to Preston Street

Oak Street from Seymour Road to Preston Street

West Bard Street from terminus to Kovener Street

West Walnut Street from terminus to Kovener Street

Mill Street from Park Avenue to Kovener Street

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