Thursday, April 28, 2011

Indianapolis Sustainability Report

Mayor Greg Ballard and the Office of Sustainability announced the 2010 Sustainability Report to Our Community on April 1, 2011. The second annual report highlights information about the state of the environment in Indianapolis. The report includes a series of benchmarks and measures that help the community see where the sustainability efforts for the City have been and where they are going.

The report is viewable in electronic form at www.indy.gov/SustainIndy or link directly by clicking here.


Thank you for your continued support in making Indianapolis a more sustainable city.

Abandoned Housing Intervention Training

Tuesday, May 3rd, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Immanuel United Church of Christ, 402 E. Prospect

Southeast Neighborhood Development (SEND) is excited to sponsor abandoned housing intervention training for neighborhood residents in Indianapolis. SEND has been working with Southeast residents over the past three years to inventory, prioritize, strategize, rehabilitate and remonstrate against abandoned properties. This training will share the learnings from this three year initiative and assist residents in better addressing the abandoned properties in their neighborhoods.

In this training, participants will learn:



· How to identify and rate the condition of abandoned property.

· How to develop strategy for addressing specific properties.

· How to find ownership and history on an abandoned property.

· How to report abandoned property.

· How to expedite the process by which property moves through the legal system.

This training is free. Those wishing to participate should contact Jim Mulholland at jim@sendcdc.org to register by April 29th. For more information, call 503-5852.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Tire Amnesty Day

In conjunction with the Great Indy Cleanup and in partnership with Health and Hospital Corporation’s Mosquito Control and West Indy Development Corp, we will be hosting Tire Amnesty Day on April 30th from 10am – 2pm at 1802 W. Morris. This is a 1-day only event for residents (NO businesses) of Marion County.

Residents may bring tires, on or off rims, to this one day event and dispose of them for free. The tires are sent to a shredder who recycles them for playground mulch, asphalt additive, and fuel.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Mayor Ballard Details 2011 Bike Lane Projects Throughout Indianapolis

Mayor Greg Ballard today announced eight bike lane projects throughout Indianapolis totaling 32.52 miles will begin construction starting in May – and will more than double the bike lane miles in Indianapolis in 2011.

“At the end of the 2011 construction season, bike lanes will run from county line to county line with more than 63 miles of bike lanes installed since I became Mayor in 2008,” said Mayor Ballard. “We have made great strides in our efforts to become a more bike-able city, and the construction of additional bike lanes in 2011 will provide a tremendous resource for those who bike Indianapolis and is another step toward a better quality of life for our residents.”

Mayor Ballard was joined for the announcement, part of Sustainability Month, by cycling enthusiasts at the intersection of 56th Street and Lafayette Road, the site of one of the next stretches of bikes lanes soon to be under construction along Lafayette Road. Bike lanes are being installed along Lafayette Road from White River Parkway and north on Lafayette to 71st Street. A bike lane project constructed last year already connects 71st Street to the northern county line. In addition, new bike lanes will be installed along sections of Shelby Street, Madison Avenue, Illinois Street, Capitol Avenue, 46th Street and 52nd Street.

The City’s green infrastructure checklist initiative implemented in January was utilized in the planning for the recent set of bike lane projects, and as a result, 4.66 miles of bike lanes will be added to road construction projects. The Green Checklist requires City staff and contractors to evaluate each RebuildIndy infrastructure project for possible sustainable elements, such as rain gardens, porous pavement, sidewalks, green spaces and bike lanes. These techniques can provide a wide variety of potential benefits, including reduced storm water pollution, increased safety and lower maintenance and operation costs when applied to the right projects.

“This is an exciting time for sustainability in Indianapolis,” said Kären Haley, Director of the City’s Office of Sustainability. “The financing of these particular bike lanes through a Department of Energy grant is another great example of the City looking for ways to maximize infrastructure improvements.”

Construction of bike lanes in Indianapolis has steadily increased since 2008, at the start of which Indianapolis had less than one mile of bike lanes. In 2008, the City constructed 2.41 miles; in 2009, 20.36 miles; in 2010, 7.86 miles; and in 2011, a planned 32.52 miles.



Bike Lanes Projects Scheduled for 2011

* Lafayette Road from White River Parkway West to 71st Street
* Shelby Street from the Cultural Trail to Madison Avenue, and Madison Avenue south to County Line Road
* Illinois Street from 16th Street to Westfield Boulevard
* Capitol Avenue from New York Street to Westfield Boulevard
* 46th Street from College Avenue to Keystone Avenue*
* 46th Street from Keystone Avenue to Emerson Avenue*
* West 10th Street from I-465 to Lynhurst Drive*
* 52nd Street from Meridian Street to College Avenue*

* Projects identified and added as a result of the 2011 launch of Mayor Ballard’s RebuildIndy Green Checklist initiative.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Keys to the Neighborhood

A Unique Night of Open-Air Piano Music, Historic Homes, and More.

April 30th, 2011 – 6 to 8 p.m.

1526 South New Jersey Street in

the Historic Bates-Hendricks Neighborhood



· Dedication and Music at the Piano, under the Gazebo

· Tours of 5 Historic Homes including the Bates- Hendricks House

· Hors d’oeuvres and Cocktails, under the Tent

· Silent Auction of Local Art

· Meet the Mayor



Tickets – $25.00 per Person – All proceeds benefit SEND

To purchase tickets, contact Angie Calvert at 634-5079 x101 or angie@sendcdc.org.

April 20th meeting on Bike Lanes

We will be holding a follow-up meeting on the bike lanes from Prospect to Madison, on April 20th, from 6:00 pm – 7:30pm at South East Services Senior Center, 901 S. Shelby. The Senior Center is on the second floor.

Thank you all very much who attended our last meeting. We appreciate all of your comments and concerns.



Lisa

Mayor Ballard Launches 2011 RebuildIndy Construction Season

Over $87 Million Being Invested to Resurface More Than 383 Lane Miles, Repair 16 Bridges and Pour More Than 105,000 Linear Feet of Curbs and Sidewalks


Mayor Greg Ballard today marked the start of the 2011 construction season by highlighting road resurfacing along Arlington Avenue in Franklin Township, one of dozens of projects getting underway as weather is allowing for work to begin on 2011 RebuildIndy projects and completion of many projects started last fall.

“This summer will bring an unprecedented level of road construction work to the City,” said Mayor Ballard. “Motorists may experience short-term inconveniences with travel delays, but our RebuildIndy initiative is making long-term improvements for Indianapolis. The result will positively impact residents and visitors, who will benefit from improved infrastructure, the creation of local jobs and increased public safety.”

From September 2010 through this summer, RebuildIndy will invest over $87 million to resurface more than 383 lane miles, repair 16 bridges, and pour more than 105,000 linear feet of curbs and sidewalks. Residents are encouraged to check www.Indy.gov/RebuildIndy often for construction updates and road closures and to stay up-to-date on work in their areas.


RebuildIndy is Mayor Ballard’s initiative to transform the City of Indianapolis through investment in infrastructure improvements, restoration of deteriorating thoroughfares, residential streets, sidewalks and bridges, as well as correction of neighborhood drainage and flooding issues. The City also will remove abandoned homes that are unsalvageable, and which pose a public safety threat to neighborhoods.

One of the most exciting infrastructure improvements underway in Indianapolis is the Michigan Road project, one of many that support Mayor Ballard’s commitment to make Indianapolis one of the most livable cities in the Midwest.

“The residents of this area worked together and came to the City to express their desire for increased connectivity to make that area safer,” Mayor Ballard said. “Through RebuildIndy, the City is working on several infrastructure improvements, including means to enhance connectivity and enable safer conditions for the many pedestrians who travel near there."

RebuildIndy is not only improving neighborhoods and creating jobs – it is creating opportunities for Indianapolis business owners. RebuildIndy outreach hosts meetings and open houses to share details of how the construction work in various areas and the final results may impact local businesses. This week alone, RebuildIndy hosted two open houses for businesses for this purpose.


Some examples of 2011 RebuildIndy projects include:


o 56th Street Bridge over Eagle Creek Reservoir: Complete rehabilitation, deck replacement and railings. Construction will take place in conjunction with the 56th Street Lift Station and Force Main project. Traffic will be maintained during construction.


o Southwestside resurfacing projects such as portions of County Line Road and Hanna Avenue.


o 56th Street Bridge over Fall Creek: Rehabilitation with repair to the deck overlay. Traffic will be maintained during construction.


o West 10th Street: Resurfaced from Main Street (in Speedway) to Raceway.


o Resurfacing of High School Road, Edgewood Avenue, Illinois Street, Meridian Street, Emerson Avenue, Georgia Street and 38th Street.