The town of Griffith is planning a complete reconstruction of Main Street between Colfax Avenue and near the railroad tracks at Wood Street.
The rebuilt road will include new curbs and gutters and be widened about a foot on each side, according to Griffith Town Council President Rick Ryfa R-3rd. However, there is not sufficient space to add a third lane for turning.
The second part of the Main Street project involves the construction of a new drainage system that will convey stormwater to the Wood Street pumping station at the Cady Marsh Ditch. Currently, there is no drainage along Main, as the water drains into the adjacent ground or sits on the road or existing businesses until it can run off into the grassy areas, Ryfa explained.
The new storm pipe will run along Main to Wood and then head north to Lake Street, where it will connect with existing infrastructure. Stormwater will flow to the pumping station on Wood, which will discharge it into the Cady Marsh Ditch, then make its way to the deep tunnel on Arborgast Street and finally deposit into the Little Calumet River.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $3 million, Ryfa said. The town has applied for a Community Crossing Matching Grant (CCMG) with the state of Indiana, which would provide $1.5 in matching grant dollars if approved.
“The town believes that the improvements on Main Street will result in more economic development along that business corridor, as well as improve the travel for the approximately 7,700 vehicles that travel that road daily,” Ryfa said.
If the application for the CCMG funding is approved, town officials expect to go out for bid immediately, and upon approval of a contractor, the construction could start this summer. The town will pay for its portion of the matching grant with remaining funds from the town-wide sidewalk project or other leftover bond funds that allow for this work, Ryfa noted.
Another road improvement project involves a proposed roundabout at Avenue H and Broad Street, although construction is still probably a couple of years away. Ryfa explained that the intersection was identified several years ago as an area that needs traffic flow improvements.
The town had considered traffic signals, but the cost of the installation and maintenance would exceed that of a roundabout, Ryfa said. He added that the roundabout will be very similar to the one currently located in Schererville on Cline Avenue south of U.S. 30 and will be funded as an 80-20 split with the state, with the town paying 20% of the cost.
Jim Masters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
