NEW ALBANY — Unless there’s a substantial delay in right-of-way acquisition, the remaining phases of the Daisy Lane project should be finished this year, New Albany officials said Tuesday.
Jorge Lanz of the city-hired engineering firm Jacobi, Toombs and Lanz detailed the next stages of the four-tiered effort during a Redevelopment Commission meeting.
The first two construction phases are virtually complete, though it took about a year longer than scheduled to reach the halfway point of the project.
Delays in utility relocation were blamed for the holdup, as phase two had been planned for completion by November of 2008.
A construction schedule with firm timetables has been sent to the utility companies to avoid another delay for phases three and four, Lanz said.
“We think it can be done,” by the end of November, Lanz said of the final stages.
“It is going to be full speed ahead.”
While there haven’t been any major setbacks in property acquisition yet, Lanz said a prolonged right-of-way process could impact the timeline.
As defined in the construction plan, the city needs to take 38 pieces of private property for phase three and six for phase four. Lanz said most of the phase three properties are small, though there are some larger sections targeted for phase four.
To date, the city has acquired 14 of the 38 properties for phase three construction and 10 more are in the process of being finalized. Lanz said there have been no deals reached yet for phase four properties.
If the city can’t reach terms with all the property owners, it could use eminent domain to take the land.
Lanz said eminent domain was called on to acquire “a couple” of properties for the first two Daisy Lane project phases.
A preliminary schedule would have the redevelopment commission opening bids from construction companies vying for the last phases April 13.
Project scope
The Daisy Lane enhancements, funded by tax-increment financing, began with improvements to the roadway from Schell Lane to Graybrook Lane.
The second phase upgraded conditions of the street as well as the curbs and sidewalks surrounding it from Green Valley Road to State Street.
Phase three would include construction and street widening from Green Valley Road to Schell Lane, and phase four will focus on Graybrook Lane to Grant Line Road along Daisy.
Floyd County is pitching in $300,000 to replace the bridge across Falling Run Creek west of Zurschmiede Drive.
As part of phase four construction, a new traffic light will be added at Graybrook and Daisy Lane. It will synchronize with an adjusted signal at Daisy Lane and Grant Line Road.
At the request of Councilwoman Diane McCartin-Benedetti, the phase three and four plans will be submitted to the New Albany Stormwater Board for approval.
“There are some stormwater improvements with the project,” said John Rosenbarger, director of public facilities projects for the city.
Catch basins were added in some areas during phase one and phase two work, he said.
Impact on traffic
As with the initial construction, portions of Daisy Lane will be closed at various times except for local traffic, or people that live in the impacted area.
A detour route is being finalized, but Daisy Lane will likely be closed beginning at Graybrook Lane and at Green Valley Road.
If so, the detour route would be Daisy Lane to Graybrook, Graybrook to Country Club Drive, then Country Club to Bono Road and on to Green Valley.
