The Online Reflector

Hanna Avenue

By Micah McVicker | Staff Writer

For three years, the renovation of Hanna Avenue has been scheduled, though no significant construction has actually taken place. According to David Wantz, associate vice president for community relations, this time will be different.

“The project is up for bid in June,” Wantz said. “[We plan to] select a contractor within six weeks and put shovels in the ground in August.”

The Reflector published a story on Nov. 21, 2006, that quoted Wantz as saying that the Hanna Avenue renovation would be postponed until Sept. 2007, but finished by March 2009. As of February 2009, however, Hanna Avenue had undergone no significant renovations.

Hanna Avenue runs east-west on the south side of the university campus. Good Hall and residence halls Warren and Cravens stand south of Hanna; the remainder of campus buildings stand north of Hanna Avenue.

“We will begin on the east-bound lane of Hanna Avenue, as far east as Carson Street, and run southbound traffic. Then we will renovate the west-bound lane,” Wantz said. “The last phase we complete will be the beautification process of Hanna Avenue.”

According to James Pennell, chair of the Social Sciences Department, the goals of the Hanna Avenue project result from collaboration between the university and Indianapolis city planners.

“We gather input from businesses, residents and UIndy faculty and students to make the area more walkable by expanding sidewalks where necessary and safer for bicycles by adding bicycle lanes,” Pennell said.

More stoplights will be added to Hanna Avenue, according to Wantz. A portion of the beautification process will be the planting of shrubs between the sidewalks and street. These additions will  make Hanna Avenue safer for pedestrians and improve the aesthetic qualities of the road.

Despite the lack of any visible construction, the ambition of renovating Hanna Avenue did receive some attention thus far, according to Wantz.

“IPL [Indianapolis Power & Light] removed electrical wires from the length of Hanna Avenue [that] we plan to renovate. All that remain are cable and telephone wires,” Wantz said.

The timetable on the project remains at 18 months. However, the weather may delay the scheduled completion. If the project does remain on schedule, UIndy can expect to see a renovated Hanna Avenue in February 2011, according to Wantz.

“The project is funded,” Wantz said. “We are awaiting the wheels of government to turn and make this happen.”

Renovations of Hanna Avenue have been scheduled have been scheduled for over three years and are finally about to come to fruition, according to David Wantz.