Safer, better roads ahead

Motorists driving near schools located in Franklin or Greenwood will have more or better reminders to slow down and watch for children in the coming years when federal tax dollars are used to make school zones safer.

In both cities, school zones will become safer because newer, better crossing signs and lights will be installed, Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers and Franklin Mayor Steve Barnett said.

All school zones located inside either city’s limits, regardless of the school district, will be improved.

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In Franklin, the work will cost $278,000, with the city paying about $27,000 of the total. In Greenwood, the work will cost $511,647, with local tax dollars covering 10 percent.

The work was announced on Wednesday when the Metropolitan Planning Organization decided which central Indiana roadway projects should be funded in the coming years.

Rebuilding two bridges and building a roundabout in the Center Grove area and reconstruction of a brick-laid street in Franklin all were approved. In total, nearly $9.5 million worth of work was approved for Johnson County.

The projects and their estimated costs in Johnson County are:

School zone improvements and pedestrian crossing flashers in Franklin and Greenwood, $789,647

Construction of a roundabout at Saddle Club and Stones Crossing roads, $1.3 million

Building a bridge on Worthsville Road between Averitt Road and U.S. 31 in Greenwood, $1.5 million

Rebuilding Yandes Street in Franklin, from Jefferson Street to Ohio Street, and Madison Street, from Yandes to the railroad tracks, $2.2 million

Rebuilding the bridge over the railroad tracks on Smith Valley Road and widening it to four lanes, $2.7 million

Rebuilding a bridge on Peterman Road, between Fairview and County Line roads, $933,000

In total, the Metropolitan Planning Organization approved $61.5 million in projects across eight counties in central Indiana this week. Federal law requires that the federal grant money be funneled through a regional planning organization that evaluates proposals to better roadways or provide transportation alternatives. The work will be put out for bid in 2022 or 2023.

Other projects that were approved include multi-use trails or paths in Beech Grove and Noblesville, roundabouts in Fishers and Westfield, a bicycle trail in Greenfield and road-widening projects across the area.

In Greenwood, a culvert was planned for Worthsville Road, but a study showed that a bridge would be needed instead, Myers said.

“We’re really excited about Worthsville Road getting the bridge approved so we can keep that on schedule,” Myers said, referring to the city’s expansion of the road to improve transportation across the county and region.

In Franklin, residents had asked Barnett to have Yandes Street restored, rather than the original bricks removed and replaced with asphalt, the mayor said. The rest of Yandes Street was not approved for work or restoration because it had been recently paved. The project includes drainage, sidewalks and curbs, Barnett said.

Communities had to apply for the federal grants and be willing to put local money into the project as well, such as a 10 percent or 25 percent match, depending on the project.

Not all of the grant requests were approved.

“With requests for 73 projects totaling $186.5 million, it is clear that infrastructure needs in Central Indiana are great,” Andy Gremling, executive director of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization, said in a news release.