Capital Improvement Board approves series of funding allocations for railroad quiet zones, screen wall review, train station engineering and plaza lighting

The Hammond City Capital Improvement Board approved a series of funding allocations covering railroad crossings, a screen wall engineering review, construction observation for a downtown train station and lighting upgrades for a downtown plaza.

The board approved Funding Allocation #310 for a Downtown Hammond railroad quiet zone and Supplemental #1 for design and railroad coordination with First Group Engineering for $18,000; Councilman Salinas moved the motion and Councilman Rakos seconded. The board approved Funding Allocation #311 for Hessville railroad quiet zones with Supplemental #1 for design and coordination with First Group Engineering for $23,000; Commissioner Muda moved that motion and Councilman Rakos seconded. Both measures passed on roll-call votes announced by the chair as 5 in favor, no dissent.

The board also approved Funding Allocation #312 to pay Norfolk Southern Railroad a preliminary engineering fee of $27,739 to review the city's application to install a screen wall on Norfolk Southern property along Indianapolis Boulevard for approximately 2,500 feet east of the Indiana state line. Councilman Rakos moved the item and Commissioner Muda seconded; the chair announced the motion carried 5-0.

For downtown station work, the board approved Funding Allocation #313 for construction engineering/observation with NICE Engineering for $198,500 for the Downtown Ammons Train Station project, which the chair said is scheduled to start construction in April. The chair reported the construction bid was awarded to Larson Danielson in the amount stated in the meeting record as $8,474,000; the board approved the observation contract unanimously.

The board also approved Funding Allocation #314 for Dan Raven Plaza lighting and electrical improvements with Hawk Enterprises for $135,353.32 to restore outdoor lighting and provide electrical fixtures to support a downtown open-air market planned to commence May 28, 2026. Councilman Salinas moved the motion and Councilman Rakos seconded; the chair announced the motion carried 5 in favor with no dissent.

No public comment was recorded on these items at the meeting. Several items included brief descriptions of the work (pavement markings and signage for crossings, design coordination, preliminary engineering reviews and construction observation) but the board did not attach additional conditions or amendments in the meeting record. The chair announced the next regular meeting will be scheduled for April 6, 2026.