The city of Evansville has secured a $1 million Community Crossings Matching Grant (CCMG), which initially they missed, due to a clerical error. The city had been rejected for that grant due to the sheer number of applicants.
Brian Mundy, city engineer, said the legislature approved an additional $75 million through Senate Enrolled Act 179, to fund additional projects.
“So we were able to get back in for that grant, and we were just awarded Friday, so the city's getting a million dollars, and we're using that towards our paving program this year.”
This is part of the road improvement plan unveiled Wednesday May 27. The repaving project will cover 6.8 centerline miles and cost $3 million, funded by grant awards, city wheel tax revenue, ARPA interest earnings and the Pavement Preservation Fund.
Aside from receiving a $1 million dollar grant to help repave several roads, the city also applied for an $11 million grant for intersection improvements.
“If we get that – which we have confidence that we're going to score high – that'll be $11 million to improve 24 high-crash intersections throughout the city,” Mundy said.
Looking ahead, the city will seek bids in July for additional repaving projects, such as Cherry Street from Riverside Drive to 4th Street and Eagle Crest Blvd from the Lloyd Expressway to the end of Eagle Crest Boulevard.
According to a news release, other streets are planned for cape sealing – a way to preserve roads currently in solid condition, but could use a layer of protection. These locations include Old Boonville Highway from Green River Road to Burkhardt Road, Stringtown Road from Buena Vista Road to Petersburg Road, and Harmony Way from Mount Vernon Avenue to the city limits.
Regarding ongoing projects, Mundy said the city coordinates with CenterPoint Energy and the Evansville Water and Sewer Utility to make sure there are no conflicts.
“The last thing we want to do is pave a road and then have them come back and dig it up for a sewer main, so we coordinate closely with them on that,” Mundy said.
According to the May 27 news release, in the next 30 days, milling and resurfacing work will begin across the city. Sites include:
• Washington Avenue (from Green River Road to Newburgh Road)
• Division Street (from Plaza East Blvd to Fielding Road)
• Vann Avenue (from Covert Avenue to Washington Avenue)
• Sycamore Street (from 5th Street to Main Street)
• Governor Street (from Washington to Sweetser)
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