Plymouth Board of Public Works approves $841,000 engineering contract for Oak Drive Sidewalk Project

The Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety unanimously approved a professional engineering contract Monday evening that sets the stage for a major streetscape improvement along one of the city's busiest corridors.

The board approved an agreement with USI Consultants for engineering services on the Oak Drive Sidewalk Improvement Project, valued at approximately $841,000. The project is funded at an 80/20 split, with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) covering 80% of costs and the city responsible for the remaining 20%.

The project area spans Oak Drive from U.S. 30 to Lake Avenue/State Road 17. The proposal is for sidewalks on both sides of the street from U.S. 30 to Jefferson Street, then on the east side only from Jefferson Street to Lake Avenue/State Road 17.

Board member Duane Culp asked why sidewalks were being constructed on both sides of the road. City Engineer Dan Sellers explained that the stretch is lined with businesses, industries, and professional services on both sides, and building sidewalks on each side minimizes the number of street crossings pedestrians would need to make — a key safety consideration.

Beyond sidewalks, Sellers said the plan includes reducing driving lanes between PIDCO and U.S. 30 from four to three, with the addition of bike lanes on the road surface. "Having a travel lane in each direction and a turning lane alleviates jockeying for position on the road and would slow down speeds," Sellers said.

The project has been in the works for some time. Last fall, the city applied for federal aid grant funds and received an award. Earlier this spring, the city conducted a Request for Proposal process and selected USI Consultants. City Attorney Jeff Houin noted that the city already has feasibility studies and preliminary designs in hand — this contract will cover the full design engineering phase. The preliminary design concept was originally developed by the Troyer Group before the grant application was submitted.

Construction is currently anticipated to take place in fiscal year 2031.