Mike Wolanin | The Republic A view of the intersection of 325 W and Lowell Road in Columbus, Ind., Wednesday, June 5, 2024.
Back in the 1990s, Bartholomew County government did not pay to acquire right-of-way property for a road project.
However, commissioners’ Chairman Larry Kleinhenz said the three person county executive feel landowner should be compensated when their right-of-way will be used for the overall good of the public.
On Monday, the commissioners approved a request to give one landowner who resides near the Lowell Bridge $53,704 for right-of-way on his property when road work begins there in a few years.
Although concern has been raised that Monday’s approval might set a costly precedent, London said the landowner has a real concern that deserves to be addressed.
“It’s not cheap, but it’s legitimate,” London said.
The landowner’s house is very close to Lowell Road, which became quite noisy after Lowell and County Road 325W became an unofficial bypass linking U.S. 31 to the north and State Road 46 West to the south, county highway engineer Danny Hollander said.
“The property owner has a line of pine trees that act as a sound buffer,” London said. “We’re going to take those trees in our right-of-way acquisition for Lowell Bridge. He’s asking to replace those trees with a fence because now the road is going to be even closer to his house.”
The $53,704 approved by the commissioners includes the cost of the new fencing.
While the height of the fence specifically requested by the landowner is taller than what local ordinances normally allows, the landowner has already received permission to obtain the fencing he wants from the Bartholomew County Board of Zoning Appeals, Hollander said.
Since federal funds are being used, the commissioners didn’t have much choice about the price.
“This is a federal aid job, so there’s no way you can get away without paying him,” Hollander told the commissioners.
“It’s another one of those decisions that you kind of hate to make, but you have to do it to keep the project on course,” commissioner Carl Lienhoop said.
In March 2023, it was announced that Bartholomew County will receive $5,520,000 for the Lowell Bridge replacement, while a separate grant of $2,397,600 will be provided to reconfigure the southern approach to the future new bridge from County Road 325W.
Estimates for a new bridge have run as high as $11 million. In order for county government to receive the federal money, they will have to come up to 20% of the grant for the bridge replacement and 10% for the reconfiguration, Hollander added.
Improvements will eventually be made along 1.2 miles of Lowell Road, from the Interstate 65 overpass to the Lowell Bridge. The county plans to widen the shoulders and improve curves to meet established standards for the volume of traffic.
But due to the federal aid, construction won’t get underway until 2027, according to Hollander. While it’s possible that work on a new Lowell Bridge and upgraded southern approach along County Road 325W might begin in 2026, the highway engineer said it’s more likely the new bridge, estimated to cost $11 million, will be put on hold until 2027.
