Could US 231 be opening soon?

Friday, December 6, 2024 at 10:42 AM

By Paul Gable

It's beginning to look a lot like US 231 is opening before Christmas.

At least that is the hope of Greencastle Mayor Lynda Dunbar, who has dealt with construction woes during her entire first year as mayor.

Last month, Dunbar reminded City Council members she was told the work would be done in November, but now there is a December date Dunbar said. The December date is based off of information INDOT has provided to her.

"They are saying in December, sometime in December. They have been working a lot. They had to reroute the new water line a little bit to get the storm sewer in. All the storm sewers are in. It is not the final pavement coat, but that will be done when they come back and do the whole thing along Washington and Jackson," Dunbar told city council members at the time.

The project has included new sanitary sewers, water lines and storm sewers under US 231. In addition, there are new sidewalks going in around downtown. However, Dunbar has expressed her disappointment with how that has gone, noting INDOT is "working on sidewalks."

"We are probably going to experience some sidewalks that are not even. There are issues with the sidewalks downtown and INDOT knows of my dissatisfaction with the work they are doing when putting the sidewalks back in. We are working through that, and we are trying to make it better," Dunbar said.

The road construction will continue into the new year, according to Dunbar, as Greencastle recently received $1.5 million in Community Crossings grant funds that will go to make improvements along Washington Street. Dunbar has said the project will need to go out to bid next month with construction starting in the spring.

"It will be a quick start, but not a quick project because it will encompass all of Washington all the way down to Percy Julian. We will have a community event where we will explain closures and how they will happen. Everyone will have access to their homes," Dunbar said of the work, which will be down between Wood Street and Percy Julian Drive.