Hanna Avenue project ‘finally’ under construction
Construction has begun Hanna Avenue, beginning the much-anticipated project.
By Kim Puckett | News Editor
Slated for construction for nearly a decade, the Hanna Avenue renovation has become a campus-wide urban legend. But with contracting bids accepted, it appears the beautification process is about to begin.
“The city has been planning and talking about and trying to get ready for the widening of Hanna Avenue between East and Carson Avenue since the 1990s,” said Mike Braughton, vice president of business and finance and treasurer. “They did finally get everything pulled together. It was let for bids earlier this summer, and bids were accepted.”
The estimated $7 million project is mostly funded by the state and managed by the city. The university will kick in between $1 million and $1.5 million from accumulated reserves and general operation funds for additional landscaping and sidewalks.
“This is an opportunity for us to do some things,” Braughton said. “We have agreed with the city that we are going to landscape the medians. The sidewalks will meander a little bit instead of being right up against the road, which is unsafe.”
An additional traffic signal will be added at the intersection by Nicoson Hall. Also, the road will be widened, a median will be added and cross walks will be made more obvious to drivers.
Some preliminary work has begun by rerouting natural gas lines to allow for the road to be widened. Actual construction on the road is expected to begin this fall.
Ken Piepenbrink, director of the physical plant, is in charge of UIndy’s role in the project. The city estimates the construction will be completed in less than two years, Piepenbrink said.
“They are hoping to get started this fall, but I’m not sure when that will be,” he said. “If they get started at one end, it may work out that they don’t get to us until the summer, which would be a lot better for us. In theory, you could make it work really well, but once you start digging, who knows?”
Safety is a main concern for the university end of the project, Piepenbrink also said.
“It’s just a dangerous situation when you have to cross four lanes without a break,” he said. “So by putting this 16-foot wide boulevard in the middle, it kind of gives everybody the opportunity to at least cross two lanes that are going the same way to get to a safe area.”
Hanna will be safer during construction because the area will be more controlled, Piepenbrink said. Since workers will direct traffic when necessary and only two lanes of traffic will be open at one time, students don’t have to worry about construction lowering their safety on Hanna.
