Local officials received a huge jolt Monday when INDOT announced a shift in plans when it comes to Hoke Avenue.
Originally Hoke Avenue was do to be closed this week for utility work. However, that all changed when INDOT said it will not close Hoke Avenue this week. Instead they will do a one-lane closure next week and a full closure the following week August 7-13.
“We had heard them say it was going to be two weeks, but it was going to be partial closing,” said Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets. “And they pop up and say it’s going to be a full closure one of those two weeks. I understand that because the utilities are under there you never know. They just found out the end of last week. I did not realize until I went to the progress meeting today.”
Frankfort Street Superintendent Jason Forsythe was also caught off guard.
“They’re working on the water mains,” said Forsythe. “Originally, they thought everything was on the side of the road. They found out they had more in the middle section of the roadway which obviously you can’t do something in the middle of the road unless you close it.”
In other news, the Board of Works approved the paving bid of $780,364.87 to E&B Paving for the Community Crossings Grant. That will be for nine paving projects later in the year.
One problem with that is the city is little over $143,000 short. Sheets said will talk with the Frankfort City Council to see if they can use some of the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds they for the projects.