By JONATHAN SNYDER
Street Commissioner Tim Simpson announced Tuesday that Bluffton has received a $900,000 federal grant for sidewalk improvements.
The improvements will take place along Spring street, then north on Mulberry street, and turning west on Washington street to the splash pad. Afterwards the plan is to go down South Main street to the library. The city of Bluffton will also contribute $100,000.
The initial request was made in early October, with Simpson noting that this was a special call from the Highway Safety Improvement Project. Simpson said that this special call had a more specific list of criteria than traditional grants, with a main focus on connecting points of interest in the city and corridors. Simpson stated that connecting the Bluffton-Harrison schools to the Rivergreenway and the Wells County Public Library was key for the grant’s scoring system.
“Had we just chosen a bunch of sidewalks versus one that’s connecting the school systems, it upped our ability to be awarded the grant,” Simpson said during the Bluffton Common Council’s meeting Tuesday.
“Just taking it down a regular street doesn’t score well,” Council member Josh Hunt added. “We don’t get awarded unless we have the points of interest and we have those types of corridors.”
Simpson noted, however, that progress on the improvements may be slow. Simpson reported that dirt may not be moved on the project until 2026, but this does give the council time to budget the needed funds for the match.
“Congratulations,” Council Member Chandler Gerber said. “You’ve found a way to turn $100,000 into $1 million. This is incredibly exciting.”
jonathan@news-banner.com
