The Starke County Commissioners were updated on the Community Crossings Matching Grant (CCMG) project for the Chip Seal Program during their meeting Tuesday.
In a previous meeting, the commissioners were notified the county had been awarded a matching grant from the Indiana Department of Transportation’s (INDOT) CCMG program. At that time, the county had received $1,000,000 for the Chip Seal Program from INDOT. The first project consisted of chip sealing 45.5 miles throughout Starke County. That project, labeled CCMG 2023-01 was awarded to Central Paving Inc. for having the lowest of two total bids. The $1,071,899.25 bid was approved at a previous meeting and 25 percent was used from the County’s CEDIT fund. The CCMG 2023-01project was completed in September of 2023.
A new project was then advertised in efforts to use the remaining balance of the matching grant from INDOT. This new project has been labeled CCMG 2023-02 and consists of 15 miles of roads throughout Starke County. A single bid was received for the project from Central Paving that came in at $293,564.65. The commissioners opened that bid during their meeting on December 18.
It was noted to the commissioners in the following meeting the bid from Central Paving came in nearly $33,000 over what was left within the remaining balance of the CCMG funds. It was stated the county has enough to cover the difference by using funding from their CEDIT, Roads and Bridges funds. The commissioners approved the CCMG 2023-02 project with $33,000 to come from CEDIT, Roads and Bridges to cover the remaining cost.
During their meeting on Tuesday, Starke County Highway Interim Superintendent Rachel Oesterreich informed commissioners, the 15 mile project will include Toto Road between State Road 23 and County Line 1200 East. She went on to say the project also includes 1150 East between 225 South and 625 South. She stated the work will begin this summer.
