County signs federal-aid LPA agreement and awards engineering contracts; multiuse Sheridan/Dunbar path remains early in design

The Hammond County commissioners on July 28 approved multiple highway engineering agreements and a Local Public Agency (LPA) agreement with the Indiana Department of Transportation for the 280 First Street project. Under highway business, staff described the INDOT LPA agreement as a standard federal-aid arrangement for the 280 First Street project that carries federal assistance “just shy of $5,000,000.” Commissioners approved authorization for staff to sign the LPA via DocuSign. The board also approved an engineering agreement with Cordino LLC for design of 113th Street and Folliel Road in the amount of $481,690; staff said the Indianapolis MPO awarded the project. Commissioners approved a multi-bridge preservation agreement with United Consulting for $76,400; staff said the preservation work will inform and estimate about $1,500,000 worth of construction work across an estimated five to eight bridges and that the county may repeat the preservation approach annually if successful. Separately, commissioners discussed a planned multiuse path segment along Sheridan/Dunbar Road. A commissioner noted a resident’s objection to tree removal where the path is tentatively aligned on the east side of the road. County staff said the project is “early in the development,” that shifting alignments or mitigating impacts (including coordination with an existing utility line) are possible, and that a public hearing will occur at a later date because federal aid is involved. All three highway contracts and the LPA agreement were moved, seconded and approved with recorded aye votes. Staff indicated the bridge-preservation project is intended to extend the service life of existing bridges and reduce replacement frequency; United Consulting will evaluate a pool of bridges and identify preservation work for construction estimates.