Madison County commissioners get update on paving projects

Ken de la Bastide, The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Ind.
·2 min read

May 17—ANDERSON — The Madison County Commissioners learned the county has contracted with E&B Paving to do work on five county roads.

Jessica Bastin, county engineer, said Tuesday the work includes the $354,515 the county was awarded through the state's Community Crossing grant program. Bastin said the funds will be used to pave New Columbus Road from the Anderson city limits to U.S. 36.

Bastin said the paving project will connect to the work done in 2021 from U.S. 36 to Ind. 38 on County Road 100 East.

Other roads to be repaved include: County Road 800 South; County Road 1050 South and 1100 South along Ind. 13.

Commissioner Kelly Gaskill asked that all the roads being repaved through contracts and by the Madison County Highway Department be available to the public on the county's website.

The Commissioners also approved a grant application through the Federal Transportation Administration for 2023 funding for the TRAM (Transportation for Rural Areas of Madison County).

David Benefiel with the Madison County Council of Governments said the federal grant will be an estimated $282,000 with an additional $64,000 coming from the state.

He said the amount of the local matching funds, through the food and beverage tax collections, has not been determined.

Benefiel said TRAM had been averaging between 1,300 and 1,400 riders per month prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said ridership is starting to increase and the number of rides per month is approximately 1,000.

Benefiel said federal CARES Act funding covered the expenses for 2021 and didn't require a matching grant.

He said TRAM has not used any of the 2022 grant funding through April.

TRAM provides service from any community to Anderson, but rides can not start and end in Anderson.

The cost is $4 per one-way ride for the general public, $2.50 per one-way ride for those over the age of 60.

A monthly pass for the general public is $33 and for those over the age of 60 costs $25.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.