CARMEL, Ind.– Several transportation projects aimed at improving the safety of public sidewalks and bike paths have been denied millions in federal aid.
“Safety is always at the forefront,” said Jeremy Kashman, Director of Engineering for the city of Carmel.
The US Department of Transportation announced $800 million in grant awards for the first round of funding for the Safe Streets and Roads for All program. Several projects, like the Merchants Square in Carmel, didn’t make the cut.
“We knew there would be a lot of need out there throughout the country with applications, so disheartened but expected that as well,” Kashman said. “We asked for roughly 10 million dollars for what we were calling our Merchant Square Mobility Project. That is connecting Kinser avenue down to Carmel Drive, a new roundabout at this intersection and additional roundabouts through the merchant square area.”
Kashman says the goal was to improve connectivity throughout the city, widen pedestrian and bike lanes and add additional roundabouts– something he says has been largely successful in reducing accidents.
“Over the last few years our city has grown, but the number of injury accidents within the city is less than it was 30 years ago, and our population has tripled,” Kashman said.
City officials say they will reapply for funding in April.
“We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to bring our federal dollars back to Carmel,” Kashman said. “We’re constantly working on transportation improvement projects.”
8 total projects in central Indiana were denied.
- Merchants’ Square Mobility Project – $8,211,000
- City of Fisher’s SS4A Grant for 116th Street Corridor from I-69 to Olio Road – $22,000,000
- Intersection Modification for the multipronged intersection of Grant Line Road, Daisy Lane, Graybrook Lane, and Beechwood Ave. – $6,422,400
- Monon Trail Bridge at 161st Street – $8,309,356
- Boone County Intersection of CR 300 S and Pleasantview Road/ CR 975 E improvements – $14,720,000
- CR 700W at 350N New Roundabout Construction – $3,848,000
- Hamilton County, Indiana Intersection Safety Improvement Project for 146th Street and Hazel Dell Parkway – $30,000,000
- IndyGo and Department of Public works to improve sidewalks and roadways– $20 million
Meantime– the city of Carmel will move forward with the project without federal dollars.
“In our last infrastructure bond package we passed, this project was included,” Kashman said. “We are still working to develop this project as much as we can and take it to construction in the next several years.”
