Fishers board approves $2.5M USA Parkway widening, greenlights parks and community center projects

The Fishers Board of Public Works and Safety on June 23 approved a series of contracts, grants and traffic changes that city staff said will advance road, park and accessibility projects across the city.

The board voted to accept the lowest responsible bid from Calmed Civil Contractors for about $2.5 million to widen USA Parkway from USA Drive near the old Naviant building up to the IKEA intersection, a project city engineers described as phase one of a multi-phase effort with phase two extending toward 106th Street. "The lowest and most responsible bidder was Calmed Civil Contractors in the tune of 2.5 million," a city engineering representative said. The board authorized proceeding with the project; staff said completion is targeted by late this year.

City engineering also won approval for supplemental agreement number two with Eegis (formerly BLN USA) for design changes on 136th Street between Southeastern Parkway and the nearby segment. Staff said the adjustments reflect value-engineering decisions and several design revisions requested by the Department of Natural Resources related to two pedestrian bridges.

In other infrastructure business, the board approved an interlocal agreement with Hamilton County so the city can proceed with Community Development Block Grant-funded replacement and reconstruction of ADA ramps in White River neighborhood parks and at the Heritage Park entrance. Rich Basset of the city's engineering department explained the CDBG process requires county approval as part of federal funding flows through HUD; the board approved the county agreement.

The board also amended the city traffic schedule to convert the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Southeastern Parkway from a two-way to a four-way stop, a temporary change staff expects to implement in about four to six weeks and to accompany with advanced warning beacon flashers. Basset said the city has a grant to build a permanent roundabout at that intersection in 2029.

On parks and facilities, the board approved a professional services agreement to advance Phase 2 of the Fishers Community Center, a rooftop exercise studio project that Jake Msulli, director of recreation and wellness, said "will be fully funded by surplus funding we had from the original agreement" and is expected to begin in the fall. The board also approved a contract to address turf issues at the FCC dog park so the park can open this fall; staff explained the city will have DPW install sod to establish a durable turf before opening to a sold-out membership list.

Smaller and routine items approved included a special purchase request from the Fire Department for multiple sets of PBE and reclass turnout gear and the award of a Neighborhood Vibrancy Grant to fund landscaping improvements at the Park Shore neighborhood entrance (staff said the board previously approved 18 grants totaling $256,932 and that the remaining four grants will be brought to the July meeting). The transcript records the Park Shore award amount as "15,75," which was unclear in the hearing record.

One item was moved and ultimately tabled: the Nickel Plate district construction waiver (item 5C). The requester was not present and the board agreed to consider the waiver at a later meeting.

Votes at a glance: the board recorded unanimous spoken approval for each motion during the meeting; the transcript supplies no roll-call vote tallies. Approved items included the USA Parkway bid authorization (~$2.5M), supplemental agreement #2 with Eegis for 136th Street, the Hamilton County CDBG agreement for ADA ramps, traffic schedule amendment (Connecticut/Southeastern), Fishers Community Center Phase 2 professional services agreement, FCC dog-park contract, the special turnout-gear purchase request, and the Neighborhood Vibrancy Grant award. The Nickel Plate waiver was tabled.

The meeting adjourned after those actions.