Potholes pester Indy drivers; Mayor Hogsett outlines plan

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – As potholes pester drivers around the city, Mayor Joe Hogsett outlined a plan Wednesday to repair roads and bridges in 2019. 

The mayor’s team has picked out dozens of roads in need of improvements with a $126 million investment. 

City leaders said some of the major resurfacing projects will include: 

• Binford Boulevard from 38th Street to Interstate 69
• 16th Street from Polco Street to Lafayette Road.
• West Street from Bluff Road to Wisconsin Street
• Mitthoeffer Road from Prospect Street to Washington Street. 

PDFs: List of 2019 road repairs | Map of 2019 road repairs

Department of Public Works Director Dan Parker said the city plans on resurfacing more than 160 miles of streets this year. 

“A lot of these streets were based on the condition and the traffic volume and the cost, to fit in as many projects as possible,” Parker said. 

North-side local Lisa Sauce said she believes Meridian Street near 42nd Street should be a priority for the city. Pieces of Meridian were scattered on the sidewalk Wednesday near large potholes in the area. 

“The thing about Meridian and Illinois, my street, is that they’re traveled so heavily from people who commute,” Sauce said. 

Parker said the city will strip-patch Meridian, but it is not scheduled for resurfacing this year. He says crews are already at work taking care of all roads in Indianapolis. 

“We’re going to be doing things like crack sealing to make sure that holes are not forming in the first place. Our street maintenance teams that were funded last year by the coucnil, we’ve hired 36 people they’ve been trained, 127 pieces of equipment have been ordered and delivered,” Parker said. “Our crews are ready to maintain our streets.”

City leaders are also encouraging people to report potholes online. The city’s online map showed more than 200 open pothole repair requests Wednesday. 

The mayor’s office said this year’s plan is part of a larger, $400 million project aimed at repairing roads and bridges across the city. 

DPW’s Dan Parker joined our News 8 Daybreak team Thursday morning to provide more details on the plan. Watch his interview here.