After reconstructing and improving two sections of West Second Street in 2016 and 2017, the city of Seymour is preparing to begin work on the final phase in three years.
The project will include full-depth pavement reconstruction from Lasher Drive east to Pine Street and resurfacing from Pine Street east to Indianapolis Avenue for a total of 1.25 miles.
Major changes will include the addition of two roundabouts — one at the Community Drive intersection and the other at the Westgate Road/Airport Road intersection.
Costs, including design, right-of-way acquisition, utilities relocation, construction and inspection, total $10.66 million. The project is being funded with 80% federal money and a 20% or $2.13 million local match to come from the Seymour Redevelopment Commission.
A public information meeting on the project will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 18 at the Seymour Community Center, 107 S. Chestnut St.
There will be a presentation by RQAW engineers followed by a question-and-answer session. Project maps, displays and informational handouts will be available. City leaders will be in attendance to answer questions and address concerns.
During the meeting, the public will learn about the scope and schedule of the project, preliminary design plans and have the opportunity to provide input and comments.
Mayor Matt Nicholson said residents, businesses and property owners in the area will benefit from attending the meeting.
“I hope our citizens can make time to attend and learn about the projects as well as provide input as the design team works toward completion,” Nicholson said.
As part of the project, the existing sidewalk on the south side of the street will be widened to 5 feet to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. The sidewalk along the north side will be removed and replaced with an 8-foot-wide asphalt multi-use path, which will be separated from the roadway by a 5-foot-wide grass buffer strip.
With the corridor improvements, a nearly half-acre total of permanent right-of way will be purchased by the city along with 1 acre of temporary right-of-way.
Nicholson said the project will help expand the downtown area with more east-to-west appeal.
“The additions of the multi-use path should allow our community to access downtown via bike and by foot as well as allow our high-schoolers a safer path to bike and walk to Seymour High School,” he said.
A new storm sewer line and curb inlet structures will be installed to help improve drainage in the area, a problem that residents have dealt with for years.
Another improvement will be the addition of a 280-foot, 12-by-6-foot, four-sided concrete box culvert to replace the existing piping that carries the Von Fange Ditch under West Second Street.
Existing traffic signals will be replaced at the Walnut and Chestnut streets intersections, and new street lighting will be installed along the multi-use path. Existing streetlights on electric poles will be replaced, too.
Construction, which is slated to begin in 2024, will be completed in stages allowing West Second Street to be closed blocks at a time. Access to all properties will be maintained during construction. Those impacted by the project, including Seymour Community School Corp. and emergency services, will be notified of potential road closures and detours prior to construction.
The project should be completed by the end of 2024; however, some paving may get carried over to the spring of 2025.