The downtown project in the Town of Bremen will get Stellar funding with no delays this year. Bremen Director of Operations Trend Weldy told the town council members Monday afternoon that a meeting with state agencies last week guaranteed the release of funds for the project to begin this summer.
“Our project can start like we wanted it to start in June and July,” said Weldy. “We’re going to have time to do it. We’re going to have to get the deeds signed. On April 1, we want to put out bids for the sidewalks and all of that stuff that goes along with it. It should probably go in cahoots with the state highway because whoever gets the highway job will probably bid on this job as well.”
The downtown project will include the replacement of curbs and sidewalks and new lighting on Plymouth Street between Montgomery Street to Washington Street ahead of a paving project planned on that street by INDOT.
One business owner asked how the sidewalk project will impact businesses downtown as he’s heard all sorts of rumors about the process.
Weldy clarified, “We’re not going to shut down any businesses. There may a two or three day period where they won’t be able to get in their front door because we’re ripping up concrete and putting new concrete in. I haven’t had a chance to put everything together to call a meeting with all of the downtown businesses and I’m planning on doing that here sometime the first of March.”
Weldy noted that the project is planned to begin after the Bremen Firemen’s Festival parade in June.
Some extra filling work will be done as many buildings had access to basements. Town Attorney Anthony Wagner said he’s gotten most of the easements prepared for the project. There are two that may take a little longer as they’re tied into trusts and corporate entities.
