MONROE COUNTY AWARDED HISTORIC BRIDGE PRESERVATION GRANT

Bloomington, Indiana
April 8, 2008

The Monroe County Board of Commissioners are pleased to announce the awarding of $712,000 for the re-erection of the Cedar Ford Covered Bridge on Maple Grove Road, in northwest Monroe County.  The announcement of the award came from Congressman Baron Hill.  The Cedar Ford Covered Bridge was selected to participate in the National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program, administered by the Federal Highway Administration, and according to a release issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the funds will be used for rehabilitation and re-erection, application of spray-on fire retardant, and treatment of bearing timbers with preservative chemicals.  “I am very pleased the Highway Administration has allocated this sizeable grant to making improvements to the Cedar Ford Covered Bridge,” Hill said.  “The covered bridges across Southern Indiana are such an important part of our community’s history.”  This award will compliment a $100,000 award from the NHCBP program awarded in 2001. “We appreciate the work of Congressman Hill in securing this award for Monroe County” said Monroe County Commissioner Patrick Stoffers. 

The planned project is to repair and re-erect the Cedar Ford Covered Bridge, originally built in 1885 by the famed Kennedy Brothers of Rushville.  The bridge spanned the Little Blue River north of Shelbyville until 1975, whereupon it was dismantled and stored.  It has been moved twice and is now stored indoors in Monroe County.  The bridge is a single-span, 127-foot long Burr Arch, so typical of the Kennedy firm.  As recently as 1947, Monroe County had nine covered bridges, including two constructed by the Kennedy Brothers.  However, they were gradually replaced.  Monroe County’s last covered bridge succumbed to arson in 1976.  The project is to reclaim the county’s covered bridge heritage.  The restored bridge will be located on North Maple Grove Road, at the site of Monroe County’s last covered bridge, at a site where the road has been historically carried over Bean Blossom Creek by a covered bridge, and has never been served by any other type of bridge. 

 This project is a long-range transportation improvement project, selected to assist with the County's goal of improving our communities bridges.  This project will link with another historic bridge preservation project, the rehabilitation of the Secrest Ferry Bridge, also known as the Gosport Bridge, over the White River.  These projects will allow canoeists to travel Bean Blossom Creek and White River to enjoy the rich history of the restored bridges and will attract visitors to the northern part of the county, so they may view the rolling landscape of southern Indiana, and see some of the state’s finest bridge work.  The design of the project is approximately 70% complete with an anticipated bid opening tentatively scheduled for December of 2010, with construction to be completed in 2011. 

BIDS OPENED FOR FIRST PHASE OF VERNAL PIKE 

October 19, 2006
Bloomington, Indiana

Bids were opened yesterday for the first phase of the Vernal Pike reconstruction project by the Indiana Department of Transportation, of which there were four bidders.  The low bidder was Dave O’Mara Contracting, Inc. from North Vernon, Indiana, with a bid amount of $4,535,556.26. 

This project is a long-range transportation improvement project, selected to assist with the

County's goal of providing road improvements for existing industries, such as Hall Signs, Cook, Inc., General Electric Corp., PYA Monarch, Inc, and the many other industries adjacent to Vernal Pike and Curry Pike.  It will also provide improved access to new areas in order to promote economic development in Monroe County.  This segment of roadway will be connected to the recently completed Curry Pike project with this contract. 

This 1.9 mile phase of the Vernal Pike project will reconstruct the existing pavement from Hartstrait Road to Curry Pike, along the same alignment.  Again, new asphalt designs, called Superpave, a design being used nationwide, will be applied in an effort to prolong the life of the pavement and save Monroe County maintenance dollars in years to come.  Sidewalks will be constructed along the south and west side of the road for pedestrians in this area.  Major drainage improvements and vertical alignment corrections along with left turn lanes at critical intersections will be provided for the efficient flow of traffic through those areas.  

Utility relocation work will begin soon with road and bridge construction anticipated within 60 days, subject to the awarding of the bid by the INDOT.  Road closures will occur with the installation of drainage structures and the bridge widening over the Indiana Rail Road, however, access to all adjacent properties will be provided throughout the duration of the project.  It is anticipated that the project will be completed by the fall of 2007.

BIDS OPENED FOR ROGERS STREET BRIDGE REPLACEMENT

October 19, 2006
Bloomington, Indiana

Bids were opened yesterday for the replacement of the South Rogers Street bridge project by the Indiana Department of Transportation, of which there were seven bidders.  The low bidder was Duncan Robertson, Inc. from Franklin, Indiana, with a bid amount of $755,766.32.

This project is a one of several long-range transportation improvement projects, selected to assist with the County=s goal of providing safe bridges throughout the entire road system.  It will also provide improved access to new areas in order to promote economic development in Monroe County. 

The project will require the removal of the existing bridge, construction of a new, three span 138 foot long by 26 foot wide concrete bridge over Clear Creek, and reconstruction of the existing approach pavement along the same alignment.  Major drainage improvements and vertical alignment corrections will be provided for the improved drainage in this area.  The road will be closed during construction and a detour will be posted, however, access to all adjacent properties will be provided throughout the duration of the project.

Construction is anticipated to begin within 60 days, subject to the awarding of the bid by the INDOT.    The project will be completed by the summer of 2007.
 

BILL WILLIAMS, MONROE COUNTY HIGHWAY DIRECTOR/ENGINEER NAMED COUNTY ENGINEER OF THE YEAR AT THE  2005 ANNUAL INDIANA  ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONFERENCE

CURRY PIKE COMPLETION CELEBRATED WITH
RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY 

September 16, 2005
Bloomington, Indiana

The Monroe County Commissioners are happy to announce the completion of improvements to Curry Pike from Constitution Avenue to the new State Road 46.  The improvements were constructed in five phases over a period of several years.  A ribbon cutting ceremony was conducted for the fifth and last phase at 11:00 a.m. September 16, 2005.  This improvement provides a corridor for traffic on the west side of Bloomington and the County for increased traffic today and for the next 20 years.  The improvements include additional travel lanes, left and right turn lanes, new traffic signals and signs.  These improvements make traveling on Curry Pike much safer.  It also provides quicker and safer movement of police, fire and other emergency vehicles.  School buses and other institutional vehicles will be able to travel safer and quicker.  Commercial and private trucks can move their products safer and quicker through this corridor.  These changes will improve the environment and air quality by reducing exhaust emissions.  The total construction cost was approximately $12,000,000.  Monroe County funded 20 percent of the cost and the federal government provided 80 percent.  The County’s share came from state taxes on gasoline and the federal share came from federal taxes on gasoline.  The Monroe County Commissioners want to thank all of the citizens for their patience during the construction of Curry Pike.

MONROE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS GIVEN THE BLOOMINGTON HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE FRIENDSHIP ROAD BRIDGE

February 6, 2004
Bloomington, Indiana

On February 6, 2004, The Monroe County Board of Commissioners were awarded The Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission's Achievement Award.  The Award is in Recognition of Activities Advancing The Preservation of Our Local Cultural Heritage.

Matthew Records presented the Award to the Monroe County Commissioners on behalf of Jeannine Butler, Chairman of The Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission.

The award-winning project entailed the rehabilitation of a one hundred foot long iron truss structure on Friendship Road in eastern Monroe County. Portions of the bridge were replaced and other parts strengthened to raise the load rating from 3 tons to 12 tons. During the project it was found that this bridge had been relocated from Business 37 North to the existing site sometime in the 1940’s. The overall project was found to be cost effective and was funded entirely by the County. The cost of the project was $137,000.

The presentation of the aware was made at the February 6, 2004 Commissioners Meeting.  On hand to accept the award were Joyce Poling, President; Herb Kilmer, Vice President; and Iris Kiesling Monroe County Commissioners, along with Bill Williams, County Highway Engineer.
 

PROFILE PARKWAY & ZENITH DRIVE RIBBON CUTTING

October 24, 2003 
Bloomington, IN

The Monroe County Board of Commissioners and elected officials from the State of Indiana and the City of Bloomington celebrated the completion of Profile Parkway and Zenith Drive in the industrial area today.  The $1.3 million investment will benefit Cook, Inc., TASUS Corp., IVY Tech, General Electric Corp. and many other industries in this area of the County.  These roads are expected to reduce traffic on two of the area's busiest roads, State Road 48 and Curry Pike, by providing alternate routes for vehicles to use.

The infrastructure improvements consisted of construction of new roads, concrete sidewalk and fiber optic conduit in this rapidly developing regional industrial base of Southern Indiana.  In the earlier stages of the program, investments were made by various utility companies to assist the County in their long range goal of maintaining the area's industrial base.  the road network is a part of an overall plan implemented by the Commissioners over ten years ago, of which over $5 million has been from tax increment financing (TIF) district funds that can be used for infrastructure development and other uses that benefit the TIF District.  The TIF District road network will connect with the nearly $70 million in major capital improvements that the Indiana Department of Transportation and Monroe County has already made or is planning to make on key arterial roads serving the region:  State Road 46, State Road 48, Curry Pike and Vernal Pike.

Zenith Drive, a road that provides additional access to the Park 48 Industrial Park, was named after a new product being produced by Cook, Inc. Profile Parkway, which Zenith Drive connects, was named in earlier years after a new brand of refrigerator General Electric started making at the Bloomington Plant.

The award-winning project entailed the rehabilitation of a one hundred foot long iron truss structure on Friendship Road in eastern Monroe County. Portions of the bridge were replaced and other parts strengthened to raise the load rating from 3 tons to 12 tons. During the project it was found that this bridge had been relocated from Business 37 North to the existing site sometime in the 1940’s. The overall project was found to be cost effective and was funded entirely by the County. The cost of the project was $137,000.

The presentation of the award was made at the 89^th Annual Purdue Road School in West Lafayette, IN. On hand to accept the award were, Joyce Poling, President, and Herb Kilmer, Monroe County Commissioners, James Barker, J. A. Barker Engineering, Inc., Chad and Bud Reitmeyer, CLR, Inc. and Bill Williams, County Highway Engineer.