The Indiana Department of Transportation has awarded a contract for the construction of Section 4 of I-69 in Green and Monroe Counties.
The $26.8 million contract given to Crider and Crider, Inc. in Bloomington covers the 4.6 miles from Crane to Bloomington. INDOT spokesperson Cher Elliott says the contract marks the beginning of the construction period but visible work will not begin for a while.
"Now the contract will go in place where the contractor will receive his official notification that he can begin work. There is a lot that still has to happen before we actually see bulldozers and track hoes and large equipment out there moving dirt," she says.
Elliott says the first step will be to make sure the area is prepared with water pipelines, telephone poles and other utilities. She says the controversy surrounding I-69 in the Monroe County community is not deterring INDOT from moving forward.
"We will continue to work with officials and make sure everyone understands that we are following the letter of the law to the tee," Elliot says.
Crider and Crider, Inc. President Steve Crider says he is glad to receive INDOT's business.
"We're pleased to be a part of the project and to continue working on the I-69 project. Obviously it's a good project for our employees close to come," he says.
Section 4 is schedule to open to traffic by 2014.