City pushes ahead with spring paving without Community Crossing grant

MUNCIE, Ind. – A year ago the City of Muncie celebrated with Gov. Eric Holcomb, who came to town to announce a $1 million Community Crossings grant from the state to pave streets in the city.

This spring, due to an incomplete project from a previous Community Crossing grant, City Engineer Adam Leach says Muncie did not receive any Community Crossing funding.

Work at Riverside Avenue and Jackson Street by DC Paving of Indianapolis is funded through a past Community Crossing grant and has not been completed due to ongoing utility work along Riverside Avenue, Leach said.

Riverside has been undergoing extensive work that include installation of a walking trail, resurfacing and drainage work between Tillotson Avenue and Jackson.

Road work: Riverside Avenue Trail on track to finish in summer of '23, paving to start this week

Mayor Dan Ridenour said the contractor expects the utility work that delayed them to be finished soon.

What caused the delay?

The Indiana Department of Transportation confirmed the delay could have disqualified Muncie from receiving any money in the most recent round of matching grants. INDOT spokesman Kyleigh Cramer said that under grant rules, new money cannot be awarded until money awarded from past years has been spent.

But the city is forging ahead with paving plans, Leach said, with money the city has available to do the work in spring and summer.

Ridenour said the city is not billed for road work until it's completed and the city plans to apply for the July round of Community Crossing grants and be qualified to receive the money. Leach said the Muncie will ask for the top limit of $1 million in July.

"If the roadwork gets billed before we get the round two of money," Ridenour said, We will use EDIT (Economic Development Income Tax) cash and ARP (American Rescue Plan) cash or from street funds we put back to pay for 2024 McGalliard Road paving (grant) match."

Paving work planned in Muncie

The city's capital plans calls for paving work on various roads this year, including: Robinwood Drive; Pettigrew Drive; Meadowlark Lane; Cole Street; South Sycamore Street; 10th Street; Jersey Avenue; Ball Avenue; Glenwood Avenue; 14th Street; Shady Lane; Woodway Drive; Russey Street; and Linden Street.

Last spring: Muncie gets $1 million match from state to pave streets

Meanwhile, Delaware County received $640,090 in the spring 2023 Community Crossing awards to complete bridge work.

Angie Moyer, project director and administrator for Delaware County, said the county plans to use the money to replace a bridge on Delaware County Road 650-E, between county roads 350-N and 400-N.

Delaware County Highway Superintendent Tommie Humbert said he plans to present his paving details to the Delaware County Council.

He said that in the fall the state awarded a Community Crossing grant of $730,863 that he plans to use for paving this summer.

Pending county council approval, Humbert said he hopes to pave Walnut Street between Delaware County Road 900-N and Eaton-Wheeling Pike; Black Cemetery Road between Ind. 67 and Gregory Road; County Road 550-E between Gregory Road and Eaton-Wheeling Pike; County Road 800-W between Ind. 67 and County Road 700-S and Proctor Road between 360-S and 400-S.

All together, the paving plan involves about six miles of county roads, Humbert said.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Muncie moves ahead with spring paving without Community Crossing grant