VALPARAISO | As work on the roundabout is completed in the spring, the next phase of the city's Eastgate project will begin: the reconstruction of Lincolnway from Roosevelt Road to the roundabout.

The city is awaiting a final cost estimate from NIPSCO for relocating the utility poles off of Lincolnway. To provide electricity, phone and cable service to the businesses on the north side of Lincolnway, easements have been secured to relocate the poles behind them. Power to businesses on the south side of the road will come from LaPorte Avenue.

As soon as NIPSCO completes installation of the new poles and electric lines, Comcast will follow to install its lines. The city still is negotiating with Verizon about its phone lines.

The estimated cost of reconstructing the road with curbs, gutters, sidewalks and decorative lighting is about $2.27 million. It will cost another $421,000 to relocate the water lines and $52,212 to replace the sanitary sewer for a total cost of $2.745 million.

Although Lincolnway is a state highway, the project will be funded by the city's Redevelopment Commission. For that reason, the Indiana Department of Transportation will give the city a license to handle all the bidding and contracts itself.

In a recent memo to the commission, Engineering Director David Pilz said the project is on track for an early spring start of construction "barring unforeseen obstacles." He said it will have to be coordinated with the Horizon Bank and University Village projects on the south side of Lincolnway between Lincolnway and University Drive.

The bank and the University Village developer Larry Gough were at odds over cross access between their properties, but redevelopment commission Executive Director Stuart Summers said the two have reached agreement. The agreement determines where curb cuts will be needed to access the properties.

Pilz said property owners were asked to comment on the final plans, and he reported "no significant complaints so far." Pilz said the level of work involved, which includes two storm sewers running north from Lincolnway to Knode Creek, and the large number of other projects now under way in the city will require the city to hire a project manager to oversee the construction.

The project has been under study for more than eight years and the city has paid almost $690,000 to American Structurepoint, of Indianapolis, for its engineering work on the project in the last three years. Summers said the project should be completed in 2008.