From north to south, east to west, construction projects are happening all around the city.
“I take I-465 to work and it seems like every day there’s more and more construction,” said Indianapolis resident, Anthony Keith.
“They’ve been out here for two weeks, but it hasn’t been too bad,” added Jean Marie Jones, as she sat on her shaded porch located on the Eastside. “I think they’re working on the sewage system. Sometimes there’s an odor.”
The construction is part of the RebuildIndy Program. Making its first appearance in 2010, this program is Mayor Greg Ballard’s initiative to transform Indianapolis and Marion County through infrastructure improvements to restore deteriorating thoroughfares, residential streets, sidewalks, curbs and bridges, as well as address neighborhood drainage and flooding issues.
“The reason why there are so many projects going on is because we are trying to address infrastructure issues that have existed for quite some time throughout the county. We are trying to tackle some of the worst streets, bridges and flooding issues,” said Kara Brooks, communications director for the Department of Public Works.
Brooks said this year the city is investing about $140 million into resurfacing 100 lane miles, 16 bridges and building more than 1,009 linear feet of sidewalks throughout Marion County.
Some specific road projects include a 16th Street and Harding Street Streetscape project; Edgewood Avenue and McFarland Road intersection improvements; and Michigan Road infrastructure improvements.
The Emerson Avenue over Massachusetts Avenue bridge is getting a face lift; so is the Lafayette Road bridge over the CSX railroad.
Projects are selected by technical assessments, or third party engineers who determine the quality of the road; and input from City-County Council members.
RebuildIndy projects are also selected by constituent input via meetings or by contacting the Mayor’s Action Center and the Mayor’s Neighborhood Liaisons. For example, residents in the Riverside area reported storm water drainage issues. An improvement project is currently taking place on 30th Street near White River Parkway and Tyrone Drive.
“A lot of people are seeing improvements that they’ve never seen on their streets since they’ve been living there – and some people have been living on their street for 30 or 40 years. People have been traveling these streets for 30 or 40 years and they too are seeing improvements they’ve never seen before,” added Brooks.
RebuildIndy will also demolish unsalvageable abandoned homes that pose a public safety threat to neighborhoods. Residents who would like to report an abandoned home should call the Health and Hospital Corp. at (317) 221-2000.
While some projects may appear to be more complicated than others, particularly those on main thoroughfares, Brooks said that each project is just as important as the next. For a complete list of projects, weekly updates and estimated completion dates, residents can visit www.indy.gov/RebuildIndy and search for projects.
“We even have interactive maps. So someone can go on there, type in their street name and see what construction projects are happening close to their home,” said Brooks.
The city is asking residents to be patient with the projects and when driving through construction zones, Indy residents should drive with care, slow down and be watchful for construction workers.
Although all the construction can be a bit burdensome, Brooks said city officials believe all the construction projects taking place throughout Indianapolis and Marion County will help make the area a more safe and livable city.
For more information, call (317) 327-2656 or visit www.indy.gov/RebuildIndy. For the Mayor’s Action, call (317) 327-4MAC. To find your neighborhood liaison, call (317) 327-5014 or go to the city’s website.
