County approves funding for 101st Avenue project

The county and the state are dividing the costs to repave 101st Avenue from State Line Road to Calumet Avenue.

The Lake County Council recently approved an allocation of $488,435.30 in the Board of Commissioners’ budget to go toward the road and bridge fund. The state’s Community Crossing Matching Grant program will put $1 million toward the project, said Board President Michael Repay, D-3rd.

County officials look to apply for grants in areas that cross multiple communities, Repay said, and the 101st Avenue project will impact residents in Dyer, St. John and Schererville.

“It’s a road that has the most impact as opposed to a more local road,” Repay said.

On Nov. 5, the House passed the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which will address roads and bridges, public transit, passenger and freight rail, electric vehicles, internet access, modernizing the electric grid, airports and water and wastewater.

For roads and bridges, the bill would provide $110 billion to repair the nation’s aging highways, bridges and roads. According to the White House, 173,000 miles of America’s highways and major roads and 45,000 bridges are in poor condition.

While it’s still unclear how much Lake County will receive, Repay said with the additional funds for roads and bridges “we’ll be able to accelerate” bridge inspections and preservations that are required under the Indiana Department of Transportation.

Additionally, Repay said he’d like to see improvements made to the Kennedy Avenue bridge in Hammond and the 45th Street Project championed by U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, with the federal dollars.

“We’ll be looking to advance all those,” Repay said.

Council President Ted Bilski, D-Hobart, said he’d like to see

the infrastructure funds go toward bridge repairs, road maintenance and internet access for South County and unincorporated areas of the county.

“We’re all about jobs and the local level and providing services,” Bilski said.

Councilman Charlie Brown, D-Gary, said he’d like to see the infrastructure funds spent on road improvements, sewer projects along Ridge Road and street and sewer projects in cities in North Lake County.

“If you ask any mayor in Lake County they could point to projects that would absorb the funds the county will receive,” Brown said.

JOE PUCHEK/POST-TRIBUNE 2018 Highland Public Works trucks block Kennedy Avenue in Highland at the Little Calumet River as workers watched the river level rise. Lake County Commissioner Michael Repay hopes federal infrastructure funds can be used to fund long-sought bridge projects.