The Town of North Judson will be able to move ahead with $948,000 in sidewalk upgrades in the coming years. Mitch Hansel with Fleis & VandenBrink told the town council Monday that INDOT has approved the town’s application to cover 80 percent of that cost with federal funding.
The project would help connect the Town Park to State Road 10. Sidewalks would be added along the west side of George Street from State Road 10 to Weninger Street, the west side of Garfield Avenue from State Road 10 to Campbell Drive, and the south side of Weninger Street from Garfield to George. That work is scheduled to take place in 2026, but Hansel noted that INDOT has been able to move projects up in the past.
It would tie in with INDOT’s separate project to add sidewalks along State Road 10. Hansel said that project could take place as soon as next year.
The town council also approved a contract with Fleis & VandenBrink for construction inspections for a project to bring the rest of the downtown sidewalks up to ADA standards next year. Eighty percent of the nearly $40,000 contract cost will also be reimbursed by INDOT.
Next on the town’s sidewalk wish list is the Hubeny subdivision, as well as partnering with the North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation to fill in some gaps around its campus.
With all those new sidewalks set to be installed, town officials are also looking to maintain the ones already in place. Town Council President John Rowe asked what could be done to encourage residents to clear snow off the sidewalks, while Clerk-Treasurer Andrew Rowe suggested revisiting a 50/50 sidewalk replacement program.
