Submitted by City of Tipton
The City of Tipton has been awarded $6,642,282 in federal transportation funding through the Indiana Department of Transportation’s Local Public Agency (LPA) program to complete the full reconstruction of Jefferson Street through downtown.
The funding, provided through the Federal Highway Administration and administered by INDOT, will support the second phase of the Jefferson Street reconstruction project, allowing the city to complete improvements from Independence Street east to State Road 19.
The first phase of the project – already funded through a previously awarded LPA grant – will reconstruct Jefferson Street from Buck Creek on the west side of town to Independence Street. With this newest award, the city will now be able to complete the full corridor reconstruction across Tipton.
Schmicker
“Securing funding to reconstruct Jefferson Street through town has been a high priority since day one,” Mayor Kegan Schmicker said. “We know from INDOT’s engineering assessment and their own project plans that Jefferson Street requires reconstruction to ensure its reliability and safety into the future. This funding will ensure that Jefferson Street through town is constructed with modern practices and infrastructure to support the city’s growth.”
The reconstruction will include a full-depth reconstruction of the roadway, along with major upgrades to the buried utilities running beneath Jefferson Street through the project area. Replacing and modernizing this underground infrastructure will help ensure the corridor can serve the community reliably for decades.
Ankrum
“Tipton Municipal Utilities (TMU) is pleased to participate in another signature City project,” TMU General Manager Jim Ankrum said. “For the past few years TMU has collaborated with the City of Tipton on various infrastructure projects. These projects give TMU the opportunity to replace aging water, sewer, and stormwater piping systems at the same time roadway work is underway. It makes total economic sense for our ratepayers that we would continue this partnership on this recently awarded LPA project.”
In addition to roadway and utility improvements, the project will include construction of a 10-foot multi-use path designed to connect the west side of Tipton to the east side of town, creating a safer and more accessible route for pedestrians and cyclists.
Dietrick
“Receiving this award to rebuild Jefferson Street is more than an investment in asphalt and concrete – it’s an investment in safer travel and a future where our infrastructure truly serves the people who depend on it every day,” Tipton Municipal Services Superintendent Dylan Dietrick said. “Not only will this funding allow the city to complete the second phase of Jefferson Street, it will create the vital infrastructure needed to continue future development and growth across the city.”
The project funding includes allocations for utility work, construction, and construction engineering phases. Construction of the second phase is expected to follow completion of the first phase of the Jefferson Street project and is currently anticipated to occur around 2031.
