5/14/2007
Media Contact:
Margie Smith-Simmons, 317.327-4669
Justin Ohlemiller, 317.327-3690 |
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Mayor pours concrete on new sidewalks on Near-Northside, announces city will pour more than double the money in curbs and sidewalks in 2007
INDIANAPOLIS – Mayor Bart Peterson today joined community leaders in the Crown Hill Neighborhood to kick-off construction on this year’s curb and sidewalk projects. The Mayor and community leaders helped contractors near the intersection of 32nd Street and Capitol Avenue pour new concrete to replace once-crumbling sidewalks.
As the concrete flowed, the Mayor announced there were many more projects like this to come. The city, he said, will be pouring more than two and half times the funding this year into repairing and replacing curbs and sidewalks.
In a typical year, the Department of Public Works spends between $2 and $3 million in the curb and sidewalk program, which translates to approximately six miles of curb and sidewalk reconstruction each year. This year the city will invest approximately $8 million on curb and sidewalk repair. The additional funding comes from the State of Indiana through money received from Governor Daniels’ Major Moves Initiative.
“Curbs and sidewalks are among the top requests I hear about when I’m out in the community,” Mayor Peterson said. “It may seem pretty basic, but sidewalks are incredibly important to neighborhood livability and vitality – and major infrastructure projects can help spur other investment from the private sector. “
Although all sidewalks in need of repair are considered for the annual curb and sidewalk program, priorities are given to sidewalks in close proximity to schools, hospitals, churches, public facilities and areas considered high pedestrian with high vehicular traffic. Sidewalks are typically not constructed where none exist today except under unique circumstances or as a part of a major capitol improvement project, (i.e., added travel lanes or pavement rehabilitation).
On top of the $8-million investment, the Mayor said the city will announce other major, multi-million dollar neighborhood infrastructure improvements in the coming weeks.
Currently the city has more than $47 million of curb and sidewalk requests that have been field investigated and inventoried as a result of citizen requests for service and/or DPW staff observations. Funding is allocated to address the neighborhoods highest need. Due to limited funding, the city may need to break up a street into multiple segments that will be addressed over a several year period of time.
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