Council to vote on emergency $14 million for potholes March 12
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The City-County Council said time is of the essence to fix the streets of Indianapolis.
The council is a step closer to taking $14 million, mostly out of reserves, to ramp up the efforts to fill potholes around the Circle City.
The $14 million will allow the city to pay the Department of Public Works and some contractors for the more than 80 hours a week of work to fix deteriorating roadways until April.
It was a quick meeting Wednesday night in hopes to provide short-term relief to city roads. The council gave the green light to vote on the matter March 12.
The city is slated to spend $88 million on roads this year already.
“It’s not draining the city’s reserves, it is simply going into a particular account and taking that down,” said City-County Council President Vop Osili.
Osili said the money will pay DPW and contractors, who are already working from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day to fill potholes for several weeks. Will the roads improve significantly?
“I think what we’re aiming for is decent. Let’s just put it like that. So that we can drive without having to swerve,” said Osili.
Osili says flip-flopping cold and warm weather destroyed treated roads a few weeks ago. He hopes it’s different now.
“We are in a warm spell and it’s important that we take action,” he said.
Mayor Joe Hogsett has said it could take a billion dollars to making the streets adequate long-term. So could that mean a tax increase is coming?
“I wouldn’t say so. No,” said Osili.
There is a committee meeting for DPW Thursday night at 5:30 p.m.