Hammond board approves NDOT LPA greenway agreement, sets train-station bid schedule and funds Lawndale lighting design

The Board of Public Works and Safety on Oct. 30 approved a set of infrastructure items brought forward by city staff, including an INDOT LPA (Local Public Agency) agreement for the Market/Marquette Greenway extension, the schedule for advertising and opening bids for the Downtown Hammond Train Station, and a design funding allocation for street lighting on Lawndale.

Dean Button’s correspondence described an INDOT LPA agreement that would formalize principles for building an extension of the Market/Marquette Greenway from 100th and 50th near the Indiana Toll Road down to sanitary‑district property under the toll road to tie into White Oak. Speaker 4 noted the agreement establishes commitments for design and bidding but that “there’s no funding at this stage” and that bids and funding decisions will likely be at least a year away. The board recorded a recommendation for approval.

On the downtown train station, staff proposed advertising dates of Nov. 6 and Nov. 13, 2025, with a bid opening on Dec. 11, 2025. Speaker 4 said previous bids were rejected and the intent is to reopen procurement so groundbreaking can follow commencement of service on the Nick D line; the board recommended approval.

For street lighting, a request from Dean Button to allocate $18,130 from the fourth‑district gaming fund for Nies Engineering to design lighting on Lawndale between Holman and the State Line was presented. Councilman Emerson was cited by staff as requesting the lighting; Speaker 3 recommended approval and the board concurred.

None of the items recorded a separate roll‑call vote in the transcript; the minutes show recommendations to approve and concurrence. The LPA agreement explicitly notes that project funding is not yet secured and that subsequent work will return to the board when bids and funding details are available.