For a number of years, the City of Fishers has been struggling with how to keep private roads maintained, largely in commercial areas. The city is attempting to use the “Barrett Law” to have these streets brought up to minimum standards with the businesses owning the roadway paying the cost over time and the city taking over the maintenance of the road once brought up to a minimum standard.
The Fishers Board of Works and Safety, consisting of Mayor Scott Fadness and his two appointees, called for a brief delay to the first use of the Barrett Law in Fishers for areas east and west of State Road 37 on the north end of the city. Mayor Fadness described this as a delay, “but not a long delay.”
The mayor made clear the City of Fishers approaches the private road issues with a sense of urgency. “The city does want to solve this problem,” Fadness said. “It doesn’t bode well for our residents or your business or your customers to have to deal with this issue. These roads have been in neglect for a long time and it doesn’t bode well for our community.”
During a public hearing on the Barrett Law for those two commercial areas of Fishers, it was unclear who spoke for the business community. An attorney from the Taft Law firm says she represented property owners in those areas, but several business owners in the same areas say they had nothing to do with hiring a law firm. The Taft attorney told the board her clients are not opposed to this plan, but there is concern about the cost.
Fadness said the cost estimates cited by engineers reflect a “worst case scenario” number and could come in much less, but there is no certainty until bids are received. Cost estimates are for $2.7 million for one project and $1.8 million for the other.
City staff plans to “sharpen our pencil,” according to the mayor, and provide the best, most realistic cost estimate for both projects. Fadness also urged the property owners and businesses in the area to get together and attempt to reach a consensus on their views concerning fixing the roads in their respective commercial areas utilizing the Barrett Law. He wants the businesses impacted to end the confusion about exactly who represents them.
The mayor expects to have the latest cost numbers in about two weeks.