Work is just beginning on a major road improvement project on 93rd Avenue from Mississippi Street to the east to Taft Street to the west. We will be improving turn lanes, stripping, crosswalks, and removing some of the concrete curbing that seem to have many motorist confused when trying to turn North onto Merrillville Road.
The project is being funded by the Mississippi Street TIF District as well as the Broadway TIF District. The project will not increase real estate taxes in Merrillville. The TIF (or Tax Increment Financing) districts will share the cost of the project.
Cities and Towns are responsible for their own South and East streets when they boarder neighboring Cities & Towns, so this project as well as the road upkeep is Merrillville’s responsibility, although the road and improvements will benefit neighboring communities as well.
It would be my desire to work with the City of Crown Point to add beautification to the project once in its final stages. I envisioned planters along the center areas between Taft (Main) and Merrillville Road or perhaps adding large sized hanging baskets along the route to make it even more of a boulevard feel and not just a flat area of pavement. I welcome any ideas that you may have noticed in other cities/towns around the nation or anywhere really!
Below are just examples of how plantings or baskets can spruce up our community.