Schererville continues preparing for its Kennedy Avenue improvements.
The project will extend Kennedy Avenue to U.S. 30, expand it to four lanes between there and Main Street, and install a bridge over the Canadian National and Norfolk Southern railroads. The town council took another step forward last week by approving agreements with the two railroads for the first two phases.
Director of Operations Andrew Hansen said the exact dollar amount still had to be finalized. "The current estimates are approximately $1 million for both, but the state statute also requires them to pay five percent of the total cost of the bridge project, so in the end, it should be, approximately, a wash," Hansen told council members.
Plans are also moving ahead for a new central fire station. The town council voted four-to-one to hire CSK Architects for design and engineering work at a cost of $375,000.
"It includes architectural, structural, plumbing, mechanical, electrical engineering and utility locations within the building," explained Town Manager Jim Gorman. "This proposal also handles the bidding process for the project to go out to bid."
Gorman said civil engineering and site utilities will be done by an in-house engineer. The new fire station will be located downtown on Joliet Street.
