ANDERSON — Frankton and Summitville could use some enhancement.
At least, that’s the case town officials will make to a selection panel today, as they try to secure funding from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT).
Frankton and Summitville are among 10 Central Indiana communities competing for $1.23 million in Transportation Enhancement funds through INDOT. Each community will make its case during a 30-minute presentation today at INDOT’s Greenfield Office. The public is invited to attend.
“They are highly competitive,” said Allan Henderson, chief planner with the Madison County Council of Governments, which advised both towns on their proposals. “INDOT does like to spend their money in communities where there are other road improvement projects.”
Greenfield, Dunkirk, Hamilton County, Union City, Glenwood, Wayne County, Blackford county and Westfield have also applied.
Frankton Town Council President Lisa Corey said her town will ask for ornamental lighting, benches and trees along a two-mile stretch of Indiana 128. A major reconstruction of the roadway, costing $6 million, was scheduled for 2005, but pushed back to 2007, then 2009 and now 2014.
“We still have steps going down on our sidewalks,” Corey said. “There are areas with no handicap accessibility. We’ve done a few of them ourselves, but there’s just not enough money.”
The Frankton project carries a price tag of $423,495, according to Henderson. The grants will cover 80 percent of project costs, leaving 20 percent for local governments.
But even the so-called “enhancement” funding doesn’t seem to stand much of a chance.
“They have basically told us the score was low on the application, compared to other projects,” Corey said. “We’ll be doing the presentation to show that we’re not giving up and that it is an important project.”
Corey and her two colleagues on the Frankton Town Council, Howard Sowers and Jack Alexander, will deliver the presentation in Greenfield. She admitted that the delays have been frustrating.
Out of that frustration came the Frankton Project Improvement Committee, a grassroots organization promoting the 128 project and the creation of a new park for the town.
“It’s important to the residents,” said Jody Chandler, a committee leader. “There have been no major improvements on 128 for 50 years. We’ve had people move into town, raise kids and grandkids and there hasn’t been any improvement on our sidewalks. Our numbers have increased due to our schools and the curbing and the sidewalk and the lights would make it safer for our children.”
Chandler said the committee has also undertaken a project to bring a new park to Frankton and has secured a grant from the Madison County Community Foundation for equipment. Now committee members hope they can help bring in Transportation Enhancement funds.
“If we get it: fabulous,” Chandler said. “If not, maybe the residents can make some donations and we can get businesses involved. It would be a big boost.”
Henderson said Summitville has applied for similar a enhancements along Main Street through downtown, at a cost of $421,384.
“They’re both very good projects that are important to their respective communities,” Henderson said. “We hope that one or both will get funded.”
Frankton and Summitville are among 10 Central Indiana communities competing for a share of $1.23 million in
Transportation Enhancement grants from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). Each community will deliver a roughly 30-minute presentation today before a selection panel at the INDOT Greenfield District office, located at 32 S. Broadway in Greenfield. The public is invited to attend the presentations, which begin at 8:30 a.m. with Frankton and are expected to last until 12:30 p.m.
Contact Justin Schneider: 640-4809, justin.schneider@heraldbulletin.com
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