Indy DPW eyes big plans as spring fiscal budget approved by City-County Council

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis City-County Council recently approved the spring fiscal funding package with more than half of the budget going to the Department of Public Works.

On Monday, the City-County Council had their spending package approved which will disperse $27 million to different city departments.

“We received a large portion of that $27 million to Indy DPW and we’re going to use it in a variety of ways,” said Kyle Bloyd, chief communications officer for Indy DPW.

Of the $27 million, Indy DPW will receive a little more than $19 million. Some of that money will be used for improving residential areas along with the city’s snow plow fleet.

Indy DPW said residents should be able to see improvements this winter.

“So about $2 million of that money will go towards purchasing 1-ton pickup trucks,” said Bloyd. “Those trucks will be outfitted with plow and salting equipment to help us attack those residential areas during the winter.”

City leaders said they are always looking for ways to improve the city for its residents, and some said this budget is a step in the right direction.

Jared Evans, a council member for District 17, said approval of this budget will hopefully solve some issues for people on the roads.

“I see it as a way that as we move forward. This can hopefully become sustainable dollars that we’re doing to address the issues that we’ve been listening to from our constituents.”

Indy DPW, as well as Evans, said they’ve heard the complaints from people in Indianapolis and take them seriously. Most of their complaints are about the roads and fixing potholes, which will be addressed with this spending package.

“There’s probably not a day or week that goes by that we don’t hear from our residents and our districts about the roads,” said Evans. “Whether it’s about potholes or getting their street resurfaced. So this is nine more million dollars we’re putting towards residential streets to get them repaved and addressed.”

“Ask anyone. Our residential streets need investment,” said Bloyd. “For the longest time, the city did not put money into residential streets. Now we’ve got a $16 million program year after year, and we’re going to do a lot of catching up.”