By Sadie Hunter
At its March 15 meeting, the Noblesville Common Council approved a resolution supporting an initial list of priority projects to be completed within three to five years.
City officials have said changes and improvements to the city’s Ind. 37 corridor remain as the top priority. The city continues to look for money, as the project has not yet been fully funded. A press release from the city said the Noblesville Common Council has asked city administration to begin identifying all revenues that may be available to fund all or part of the road projects including special COIT distributions, tax increment and interlocal agreements with the state and other governmental units.
The list of priority projects include:
Project: Little Chicago Road Trail
Background: The west side connector on Little Chicago Road will run from Ind. 38 to Buttonwood Drive and includes construction and the acquisition of land. A sidewalk also will extend north to Firethorn Circle.
Timing: Construction will begin in 2017.
Potential cost: $750,000
Project: Finch Creek Park
Background: The first phase of the 200-acre park on the city’s east side includes groundwork on the site, restroom facilities and a play area on the southern portion adjacent to new residential construction.
Timing: The project will begin in 2016, completed in 2017.
Potential cost: $4.5 million
Project: Midland Trace Trail, phase one
Background: The city has obtained 23 of the 32 parcels for the start of the Midland Trace Trail, which will connect with Westfield’s portion at Gray Road and head east to downtown Noblesville. The first phase ends at Hazel Dell Road.
Timing: The project should begin this year with possible construction completed in 2017.
Potential cost: $1.9 million
Project: Levee Trail
Background: The three-phased trail project would connect homes as far north as North Harbour to downtown Noblesville. Once completed, the two trailheads include Morse Park Beach and the border of Cicero, which will connect with their trail.
Timing: The project is expected to begin later this year or in early 2017.
Potential cost: $1.4 million
Project: New police station
Background: The city says the existing police station facility faces challenges with overcrowding, a lack of essential privacy for victims, operational efficiencies and would benefit from an upgraded crime lab.
Timing: The city will initiate a study to determine the most appropriate location for a new facility and obtain more specific cost information on construction and cost/benefit analysis. The study also will include repurposing of the Public Safety Building assuming the full relocation of NPD to a new location for Noblesville Fire Dept. and other city uses.
Potential cost: Undetermined
Project: South 10th Street corridor
Background: Improvements on 10th Street, south of the roundabout at Greenfield Avenue, will begin this year. The city will construct a new pedestrian bridge at Stony Creek, create a trail from the Wellingtons to the new roundabout and improve drainage to minimize flooding in that area.
Timing: The city will begin engineering work to prepare the corridor for improvement in 2017 or 2018.
Potential cost: $6 million
Project: Downtown streetlights
Background: The city says replacement is needed because of age as the lights are nearing the end of their service life. The city says it has 250 streetlights and six quad-luminaire poles that need replaced including 58 poles on the Downtown Square.
Timing: The poles are in the process of being ordered, and installation will begin later this year. A plan is being put together that would include 20 to 30 replacements each year. Additional lights can be ordered and stored with the street department so an emergency replacement may be made at any time.
Potential cost: $200,000 in 2016. This will be an annual expense to replace all streetlights.
(Source: City of Noblesville) *Amounts and dates are estimates based on information available at this time. Final approval and funding of all projects will come from the common council at a later time.
