Photo provided An artist’s rendition of the Washington Street and Second Street intersection.
City officials are working to allocate funds to a project that will add on-street parking and other traffic calming measures to Second Street.
The Columbus Redevelopment Commission voted Tuesday to provide about $1.4 million in funding for the Second Street Corridor Project. The expense will also require approval from Columbus City Council, as it exceeds $500,000.
While Dave O’Mara Contractor, Inc was the lowest qualified bidder with $1.163 million, the commission is budgeting in a 20% contingency, which brings the not-to-exceed amount up to $1,395,600, said redevelopment director Heather Pope.
The project is aimed at reducing traffic speeds along Second Street and making the area more pedestrian-friendly, Pope said.
“Currently, those lanes range from 13 to 15 feet in width, and a traditional lane on the interstate that you drive 70 or 80 miles on is only 12 feet in width,” she said. “So that’s why these lanes feel quite roomy, and people drive at a speed that they’re comfortable. And when you have a lot of room, you tend to go a little bit faster.”
Plans for the project include narrower lanes, bump outs, additional landscaping, improved pedestrian crossings, on-street parking, improved drainage, new curbs, and 18 new ramps that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
According to Pope, the proposed plan includes 41 new parking spaces, with 37 being standard spaces and 4 being ADA-compliant.
They also plan to put in infrastructure at Second Street and Lafayette Avenue in case the Indiana Department of Transportation decides to convert this into a signalized intersection in the future, she added.
Assuming the council approves the funding, Pope said they would plan to engage Dave O’Mara Contractors by the end of the year, with construction starting by March 15, 2024.
City engineer Andrew Beckort said the city expects most of the project to be finished by August of 2024, with landscaping complete by mid-November of that year.
Photo provided An artist’s rendition of the Jackson Street and Second Street intersection.
Photo provided An artist’s rendition of the Sycamore Street and Second Street intersection.
Photo provided An artist’s rendition of the Franklin Street and Second Street intersection.
Photo provided An artist’s rendition of the Lafayette Avenue and Second Street intersection.
Photo provided An artist’s rendition of the Washington Street and Second Street intersection.
