Board approves $300,000 cooperative resurfacing of 179th Street using Hammond's contract

The Hammond City Capital Improvement Board unanimously approved funding allocation No. 328 to resurface 179th Street (between Cline Avenue and the Little Calumet River) under an intergovernmental agreement with the Town of Highland and the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission.

Councilman Racos moved the measure and Commissioner Muda seconded. A staff presentation and board discussion cited the road’s poor condition and the Town of Highland’s inability to fund an $800,000 resurfacing project on its own. According to the board’s account, Hammond City used its resurfacing contract to perform the work, producing an estimated group savings of about $500,000 compared with separate procurement.

Commissioner Moore clarified the funding mechanics: “we're all splitting it right down the middle, so each of us $100,000 apiece,” and said Hammond City will make the purchase order up front, book the amounts as accounts receivable, and await payment from the Town of Highland and the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission.

Why it matters: The intergovernmental agreement preserves a continuous route (noting temporary closures tied to the Kennedy Avenue bridge replacement) and avoids a full closure by enabling coordinated resurfacing under Hammond City’s contract.

The motion passed on roll-call votes from Commissioners Moore, Muda, Prieto, Racos, Councilman Salinas and Button, with six in favor and no dissent. The board noted invoices have been sent to the partner entities and that staff has recorded the partner shares as accounts receivable.

Next steps: Staff will issue the purchase order and manage invoicing; the board did not record a projected construction start date in the meeting minutes.