Posted on December 10, 2019
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
Bids will be opened for the hot mix asphalt resurfacing project on County Road 50 S. from State Road 39 to the Knox City Limits during the Starke County Commissioners meeting on Monday, Dec. 16. The county was awarded $731,580 in Community Crossings Matching Grant funding for the work in the latest grant round.
Once the paperwork is complete for the asphalt paving on the 25 N. project this past summer, highway officials will be ready to submit paperwork for three resurfacing requests in the next call for projects which is slated for Jan. 1. They include the resurfacing of County Road 250 N. from U.S. 35 to Range Road, Range Road from State Road 10 to Toto Road, and County Road 400 S. from just west of County Road 650 W. to U.S. 421.
In addition to the successful Community Crossings projects, Highway Department Office Manager Mary Perren reported to the county commissioners that 91.55 miles of roads were improved this year. That beats last year’s 71 miles and far surpasses the 7 miles of asphalt paving in 2008 and just 4 miles of asphalt paving in 2012. This year crews have completed nearly 45 miles of chip seal surfacing, 20.5 miles of asphalt paving, almost 12 miles of crack seal, 11 miles of re-stoning or widening roads, and 3.2 miles of hot mix asphalt resurfacing.
Showing posts with label Community Crossings grants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Community Crossings grants. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Town of North Judson Submits Community Crossings Matching Grant Application
Posted on August 6, 2019
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
The Community Crossings Matching Grant application for the Town of North Judson was recently submitted to INDOT for consideration.
During Monday night’s town council meeting, Fleis and Vandenbrink Senior Project Manager Mitch Hansel informed members that their application was turned in last week. He noted that a total of $130,000 was requested.
Hansel said town officials should know whether or not that grant has been received by the end of September or in early October. If the money is received, the project would be bid out this winter and construction would begin next spring.
The proposed roadwork included South George Street between West Vine Street and West Weninger Street, Liberty and Hubeny Streets from SR 10 to Campbell Drive as well as Garden Street between Luken Street and Schricker Avenue.
A map with the proposed projects can be found below:
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
The Community Crossings Matching Grant application for the Town of North Judson was recently submitted to INDOT for consideration.
During Monday night’s town council meeting, Fleis and Vandenbrink Senior Project Manager Mitch Hansel informed members that their application was turned in last week. He noted that a total of $130,000 was requested.
Hansel said town officials should know whether or not that grant has been received by the end of September or in early October. If the money is received, the project would be bid out this winter and construction would begin next spring.
The proposed roadwork included South George Street between West Vine Street and West Weninger Street, Liberty and Hubeny Streets from SR 10 to Campbell Drive as well as Garden Street between Luken Street and Schricker Avenue.
A map with the proposed projects can be found below:
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Starke County to Apply for Another Round of Community Crossings Grants
Posted on January 16, 2019
Author Anita Goodan,WKVI
The Indiana Department of Transportation opened the first round of the 2019 Community Crossings Grants and Starke County will be submitting more projects for consideration.
Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the Starke County Commissioners last week that six projects will be included in the application. Hot mix overlay and preventative maintenance will be requested on 400 S. from U.S. 421 to County Road 650 W., County Road 50 S. from State Road 39 to the Knox City Limits, County Road 250 N. from Range Road to U.S. 35, County Road 25 N. from U.S. 35 to County Bridge #38, County Road 1100 E. (Tecumseh Road) from U.S. 30 to Circle Ave., and County Road 600 E. from U.S. 30 to the La Porte County line.
Ritzler noted that two projects were awarded during the 2018 Community Crossings grant application process.
“First is the intersection improvement at County Road 600 S. and County Road 210,” explained Ritzler. “That project will be bid in February. We’re doing that for safety and traffic flow reason. The second project is a hot mix overlay on 25 N. from 600 E. to State Road 23. That will also be bid in February.”
Applications for the first round in 2019 are due by Friday, Feb. 1.
Author Anita Goodan,WKVI
The Indiana Department of Transportation opened the first round of the 2019 Community Crossings Grants and Starke County will be submitting more projects for consideration.
Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the Starke County Commissioners last week that six projects will be included in the application. Hot mix overlay and preventative maintenance will be requested on 400 S. from U.S. 421 to County Road 650 W., County Road 50 S. from State Road 39 to the Knox City Limits, County Road 250 N. from Range Road to U.S. 35, County Road 25 N. from U.S. 35 to County Bridge #38, County Road 1100 E. (Tecumseh Road) from U.S. 30 to Circle Ave., and County Road 600 E. from U.S. 30 to the La Porte County line.
Ritzler noted that two projects were awarded during the 2018 Community Crossings grant application process.
“First is the intersection improvement at County Road 600 S. and County Road 210,” explained Ritzler. “That project will be bid in February. We’re doing that for safety and traffic flow reason. The second project is a hot mix overlay on 25 N. from 600 E. to State Road 23. That will also be bid in February.”
Applications for the first round in 2019 are due by Friday, Feb. 1.
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Starke County Highway Superintendent Working on 2018 Community Crossings Application
Posted on June 14, 2018
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler is working on applications for the 2018 Community Crossings program.
He told the Starke County Commissioners last week that the applications may be turned in starting Monday, Aug. 6. The Bridge #154 replacement project will be among the projects included along with several others, according to Ritzler.
“We’re going to do the intersection improvement at Bass Lake County Road 210 and old State Road 10/600 South,” said Ritzler. “We’re going to make that a safer intersection. We’re going to make that a T-intersection and make a continuous loop around the lake. We also won’t allow trucks once that becomes a T-intersection. We’re going to do five miles of hot mix roads. I’m doing a list now. We’re doing traffic counts and accident counts right now. We’ll have that for you next month.”
A fourth project will also be included, although Ritzler said it may be outside of what would be awarded.
“It’s always good to put a few more applications in. We’re putting in a bridge rehab project on Bridge #137. That’s the one on 300 E. in the industrial park. It needs some work so we’re going to include that.”
The deadline to submit applications is Sept. 28.
Ritzler noted that beginning in January, INDOT will award projects twice a year with applications due in January and July.
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler is working on applications for the 2018 Community Crossings program.
He told the Starke County Commissioners last week that the applications may be turned in starting Monday, Aug. 6. The Bridge #154 replacement project will be among the projects included along with several others, according to Ritzler.
“We’re going to do the intersection improvement at Bass Lake County Road 210 and old State Road 10/600 South,” said Ritzler. “We’re going to make that a safer intersection. We’re going to make that a T-intersection and make a continuous loop around the lake. We also won’t allow trucks once that becomes a T-intersection. We’re going to do five miles of hot mix roads. I’m doing a list now. We’re doing traffic counts and accident counts right now. We’ll have that for you next month.”
A fourth project will also be included, although Ritzler said it may be outside of what would be awarded.
“It’s always good to put a few more applications in. We’re putting in a bridge rehab project on Bridge #137. That’s the one on 300 E. in the industrial park. It needs some work so we’re going to include that.”
The deadline to submit applications is Sept. 28.
Ritzler noted that beginning in January, INDOT will award projects twice a year with applications due in January and July.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
LaPorte Construction Chosen to Replace Two Starke County Bridges
Posted on October 25, 2017
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The Starke County Commissioners have chosen a contractor to replace two of the county’s bridges, but not before some concerns were raised about the county’s responsible bidding ordinance. LaPorte Construction was selected Monday to replace a bridge on County Road 25 North over Eagle Creek for just over $325,000. The company will also replace the bridge on 800 South over Bogus Run for just under $297,000.
Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler explained that LaPorte Construction was not the lowest bidder, though. Another company offered to do the work for thousands of dollars less, but Ritzler said it didn’t provide enough proof that it takes part in apprenticeship and training programs, as required by the responsible bidding ordinance. “They basically said that they don’t have any employees eligible for it, and even though they have them available, it did not state that they were part of that program,” he explained. “And in an effort to make these things equal across the board, we felt that that did not adhere to the ordinance that was passed.”
But before the commissioners even made their decision, one of the bidders filed a protest, according to Commissioner Kathy Norem. “So either that says they have a lack of confidence in our ability to read the ordinance and apply it correctly, or they think we’re going to try to circumvent it after we passed it, which I don’t know why we’d do that,” she said. “I want that in the record because that really upset me, that that protest came before they even knew what we were going to do.”
County Attorney Marty Lucas noted that this was the first major public works project Starke County has undertaken since adopting its responsible bidder ordinance back in March. “There are a couple other things that I think, maybe, we need to improve on our end, a little bit, to give a little better instructions, one of those being ‘drug-free workplace,'” he said. “We’re going to work to make that a little more clear, what’s expected out of the bidders in that area, too. What we got was kind of boilerplate that says, ‘We do that,’ but I feel that we need to go beyond boilerplate that says, ‘We do that,’ to actual evidence that they are, in fact, doing it.”
Norem added that a lot of work went into the responsible bidder ordinance, and she didn’t want to give the impression that the commissioners chose a contractor based on the bid protest itself. The cost of the bridge replacement will be covered, in part, by Community Crossings grant money from the state.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The Starke County Commissioners have chosen a contractor to replace two of the county’s bridges, but not before some concerns were raised about the county’s responsible bidding ordinance. LaPorte Construction was selected Monday to replace a bridge on County Road 25 North over Eagle Creek for just over $325,000. The company will also replace the bridge on 800 South over Bogus Run for just under $297,000.
Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler explained that LaPorte Construction was not the lowest bidder, though. Another company offered to do the work for thousands of dollars less, but Ritzler said it didn’t provide enough proof that it takes part in apprenticeship and training programs, as required by the responsible bidding ordinance. “They basically said that they don’t have any employees eligible for it, and even though they have them available, it did not state that they were part of that program,” he explained. “And in an effort to make these things equal across the board, we felt that that did not adhere to the ordinance that was passed.”
But before the commissioners even made their decision, one of the bidders filed a protest, according to Commissioner Kathy Norem. “So either that says they have a lack of confidence in our ability to read the ordinance and apply it correctly, or they think we’re going to try to circumvent it after we passed it, which I don’t know why we’d do that,” she said. “I want that in the record because that really upset me, that that protest came before they even knew what we were going to do.”
County Attorney Marty Lucas noted that this was the first major public works project Starke County has undertaken since adopting its responsible bidder ordinance back in March. “There are a couple other things that I think, maybe, we need to improve on our end, a little bit, to give a little better instructions, one of those being ‘drug-free workplace,'” he said. “We’re going to work to make that a little more clear, what’s expected out of the bidders in that area, too. What we got was kind of boilerplate that says, ‘We do that,’ but I feel that we need to go beyond boilerplate that says, ‘We do that,’ to actual evidence that they are, in fact, doing it.”
Norem added that a lot of work went into the responsible bidder ordinance, and she didn’t want to give the impression that the commissioners chose a contractor based on the bid protest itself. The cost of the bridge replacement will be covered, in part, by Community Crossings grant money from the state.
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Bridge Bids Opened for Two Projects
Posted on October 5, 2017
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
Starke County Attorney Marty Lucas opened bids for two bridge projects during the commissioners meeting on Monday night.
Northern Indiana Construction Company, Inc. submitted the lowest bids for Bridge No. 36 on County Road 25 N. over the Yellow River and Bridge No. 58 on County Road 800 S. over Bogus Run. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler asked the commissioners to conditionally approve the bids as they will need to satisfy the ordinance checklist before they are formally awarded. If the lowest bidder does not conform to the ordinance requirements, then the next lowest bid will go through the same process.
The lowest bid submitted for the Bridge No. 36 replacement project was $303,234.10 while the lowest bid for the Bridge No. 58 replacement project was $282,648.10.
Ritzler said three out of the five bids submitted were lower than the engineer’s estimate. The bids will be awarded at the commissioners meeting on Oct. 16.
The Community Crossings grant funds received for this year’s requests will pay for these two projects.
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
Starke County Attorney Marty Lucas opened bids for two bridge projects during the commissioners meeting on Monday night.
Northern Indiana Construction Company, Inc. submitted the lowest bids for Bridge No. 36 on County Road 25 N. over the Yellow River and Bridge No. 58 on County Road 800 S. over Bogus Run. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler asked the commissioners to conditionally approve the bids as they will need to satisfy the ordinance checklist before they are formally awarded. If the lowest bidder does not conform to the ordinance requirements, then the next lowest bid will go through the same process.
The lowest bid submitted for the Bridge No. 36 replacement project was $303,234.10 while the lowest bid for the Bridge No. 58 replacement project was $282,648.10.
Ritzler said three out of the five bids submitted were lower than the engineer’s estimate. The bids will be awarded at the commissioners meeting on Oct. 16.
The Community Crossings grant funds received for this year’s requests will pay for these two projects.
Monday, September 25, 2017
Three Starke County Community Crossings Projects Awarded
Posted on September 25, 2017
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
Funding for three Starke County projects were approved by INDOT as part of the Community Crossings grant.
Starke County was awarded just under $571,000 which will be a reimbursement in state matching funds for work done on Bridge No. 50 on County Road 1150 E. over the Osborn Ditch about three miles south of State Road 10, and Bridge No. 47 on County Road 625 S. over Osborn Ditch, just over a half mile west of County Road 875 E.
The paving project on 300 E. from State Road 8 to 1,110 feet south of Division Road was also approved for Community Crossings grant funds. According to Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler, this will be the first hot mix project under the new 10-year truck route paving plan. This would complete paving in the Industrial Park in Knox. The county’s match for this project will be provided by the Starke County Economic Development Foundation. The project will begin in the spring of 2018.
Ritzler said he was happy with what projects INDOT funded for the county, especially with the number of applications handed into INDOT for this year’s grant round. He said the county, City of Knox, Town of North Judson, and the Town of Hamlet did really well as a whole in getting projects approved by state grant funds.
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
Funding for three Starke County projects were approved by INDOT as part of the Community Crossings grant.
Starke County was awarded just under $571,000 which will be a reimbursement in state matching funds for work done on Bridge No. 50 on County Road 1150 E. over the Osborn Ditch about three miles south of State Road 10, and Bridge No. 47 on County Road 625 S. over Osborn Ditch, just over a half mile west of County Road 875 E.
The paving project on 300 E. from State Road 8 to 1,110 feet south of Division Road was also approved for Community Crossings grant funds. According to Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler, this will be the first hot mix project under the new 10-year truck route paving plan. This would complete paving in the Industrial Park in Knox. The county’s match for this project will be provided by the Starke County Economic Development Foundation. The project will begin in the spring of 2018.
Ritzler said he was happy with what projects INDOT funded for the county, especially with the number of applications handed into INDOT for this year’s grant round. He said the county, City of Knox, Town of North Judson, and the Town of Hamlet did really well as a whole in getting projects approved by state grant funds.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)