GREENFIELD — Greenfield officials plan to seek public input next year on two beautification projects set for 2020 on the north side, the city’s engineer says.
The city wrapped up a project at the Interstate 70 exit at Indiana 9 last summer, constructing six large pillars that light up at night to welcome drivers to Greenfield. They’re now planning the next phase of enhancements at the interchange, incorporating landscaping, city engineer Jason Koch said.
Koch said the city had to cut landscaping from the first phase of the construction project due to budgetary constraints. The pillars, which feature light strips the length of each one that can be programmed to display different colors, cost $1.5 million from the electric utilities fund.
The landscaping design will go hand-in-hand with an Indiana Department of Transportation project 2020 along Indiana 9, from Interstate 70 to McKenzie Road, Koch said. Crews will resurface the state highway and install several large medians, replacing the middle turn lane.
INDOT spokesman Scott Manning said the department is pursuing the road work, which is part of a larger project to resurface Indiana 9 from the interstate to U.S. 52 near New Palestine, to reduce the risk of crashes.
Manning said construction for the work in Greenfield will cost $700,000, funded from state and federal grants.
Koch said INDOT typically fills in medians with asphalt or concrete. City officials, however, want to design unique-looking medians, connecting their appearance with that of the landscaping at the interstate interchange. The city will incur the cost of the median design and construction, Koch said. He said the funding source hasn’t been decided; it could come from Tax Increment Financing funds.
“We want to try and do something very low-maintenance, but also beautiful because it is our front door right off (Interstate) 70,” Koch said.
The Greenfield Board of Public Works and Safety last week voted to sign a contract not to exceed $30,000 with Hitchcock Design Group, the firm that designed the light towers. Koch said the scope of the agreement is for planning work, not engineering. Hitchcock will engage stakeholders — local residents and business partners — to see what people want incorporated into the two beautification projects.
Hitchcock will design three concepts for further community input before proceeding with engineering.
Manning said the timetable of the project will be determined after a contract for construction. The project will be let in December 2019, he said, and construction will start in 2020.
