Griffith’s Main Street reconstruction project kicked off this week, covering the stretch of road from Wood Street east to Colfax Avenue.
The project includes new curbs, gutters and widened lanes. The second part of the project involves the construction of a new storm drainage system.
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, according to Griffith Town Council President Rick Ryfa, R-3rd.
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. Water flow will then make its way to the deep tunnel on Arbogast Street and finally deposit into the Little Calumet River.
“We’re going to do as much work as we can through the fall,” Ryfa said. “We’re working with engineers to make it much more driver-friendly by not having water on the road when it rains.”
He noted that access will remain for all businesses along Main during construction, with signs placed along the road notifying that they remain open for business.
Ryfa hopes the road work will enhance economic development along the east-west corridor.
“I think it’s going to obviously increase the property values,” he said. “We would hope it will also spur economic development.”
The project is funded through INDOT’s Community Crossing Matching Grant (CCMG), which will cover $1.5 million of the estimated $2.7 million cost. The town will pay its portion of the matching grant with remaining funds from the town-wide sidewalk project or other unused bond issue funds that would allow for road work. Any remaining funds could be used to repave Main Street west of Broad Street, Ryfa indicated.
“Main Street, that’s long overdue,” he said. “If you see what’s happened in town, we’ve pretty much rebuilt almost every main arterial route and paved nearly every road in town over the last decade, in addition to all the new sidewalks.”
The town is also moving ahead with an intersection improvement at Broad Street and Avenue H. Accordingly, the Town Council recently approved an engineering services agreement with Butler, Fairman & Seufert Inc. of Indianapolis to design the project and perform necessary field work.
The project will give Griffith its first roundabout, similar to the one currently located in Schererville on Cline Avenue south of U.S. 30. The project would be funded as an 80-20 split whereby the town would pay 20% of the cost and the state of Indiana funding the rest.
Jim Masters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
