Eminent domain will be used by the city to obtain three pieces of land needed for a sewer-improvement project, the New Albany Board of Public Works and Safety decided Tuesday.

While the actual damage to the properties will only be an estimated $300 to $400, according to city attorney Shane Gibson, the three landowners either failed to respond to notices or refused offers tendered by the city.

“These are temporary easements needed to construct basic improvements to Basin 35,” Gibson said.

The properties in question are located at 4917 Grant Line Road, 4815 Ashbury Drive and 4811 Ashbury Drive. Gibson added the price of advertising the eminent domain hearings likely will cost more than the actual property acquisition.

“It’s unfortunate that is has to be this way,” he said.

Unlike a permanent easement where the city would keep a piece of property, the land needed for the Basin 35 work will be taken only during the construction period.

The first eminent domain public hearing is slated for the board’s June 9 meeting.

The basin work is to upgrade the city’s sewer system so that future developments — mainly Grant Line Industrial Park West — can come online.

Construction on the project is scheduled to begin this month, with the work being carried out by Dan Cristiani Excavating Co.

Cristiani’s bid for the work — which was $540,770 — came in at nearly half of the engineer’s $1 million estimate for the project.



SPRING, SCRIBNER IMPACTED BY SEWER WORK

The board of works was updated on Basin 5 work, mainly how it could affect several downtown streets, including Spring Street and Scribner Drive.

Portions of those roads likely will be closed toward the middle of June for sewer upgrades.

Stephen Triplett — co-owner of TSI Paving, which is handling the resurfacing and sewer work for Basin 5 — told the board he’s trying to enact a plan that will cause the least amount of stress for motorists.

Triplett will have to get approval from the state to close a lane on Spring Street near the Interstate 64 interchange, as the Indiana Department of Transportation controls Spring from State Street to the interstate exit.

If Scribner Drive is closed, it likely would be for only two days, with local access provided for people who work in the vicinity, such as police officers.

Washington Place — which is an alley running parallel to the west of The Tribune building — also could be closed for a day or two, Triplett said.

Scribner will be reopened before work begins on Washington Place, he added.

In order to allow employees to park in the Chase Bank and Tribune lots along Washington Place, Triplett is suggesting building a small access route off Scribner that would connect to the parking areas.

Dennis Smith, director of New Albany’s police traffic division, said that could create some problems with the amount of traffic on Scribner. People could be rear-ended trying to turn into the parking lots, he continued.

“I think you’re going to have a lot of issues trying to turn in and out of there,” he said.

Triplett advised that he will take into consideration the board’s input and come back with a more detailed plan within two weeks.



SO YOU KNOW

• The basin work is to upgrade New Albany’s sewer system so that future developments — mainly Grant Line Industrial Park West — can come online.