Council approves plan to revamp Second Street

An improvement project on Second Street in downtown Columbus will cost up to almost $1.4 million under a proposal approved last night by Columbus City Council.

The goal is to slow down traffic and to beautify the area, according to Heather Pope, redevelopment director of the city. She said that the lanes on the street are wider than on the interstate, which leads traffic to speed through the area. She said improvements including narrowing the streets and improving pedestrian crossings would make it more pedestrian friendly.

The proposal would also include installing the equipment for traffic signals at Lafayette Avenue and Second Street. INDOT says that the intersection could use a traffic light in the future, especially after the nearby apartments fill up and if the hotel conference center is built there.

The work would start in March and be finished by August.

The Columbus Redevelopment Commission has accepted a proposal from Dave O’Mara contractors to do the work with a cost of $1.1 million and a contingency fee of over $233 thousand, bringing the total to $1.395 million.

Funds for the project will come from the special taxing district that covers the downtown area. Spending of those funds are normally controlled by the city’s redevelopment commission, but the city council has to sign off if the commission wants to spend more than $500 thousand dollars.

Council approved the measure last night.