PORTAGE | The Board of Works received some good news Monday -- the city will get some more paving done with federal stimulus dollars in the spring.

Sandy Ford, Department of Public Works project manager, obtained approval for three contracts with the Indiana Department of Transportation that involve stimulus money-funded projects.

Earlier, the city had received approval for some $770,000 in funds for the paving of Samuelson Road from Portage Avenue to the Indiana Toll Road overpass, Central Avenue from the Willow Creek bridge to Elm Street, and Swanson Road from U.S. 6 to County Road 700 North. It also received some $75,000 for landscaping along U.S. 6 from Willowcreek Road to Countryside Park.

However, Ford said, since projects in other municipalities have been dropped from the stimulus funding list because of lack of preparation, Portage learned that a contingency project -- the paving of Samuelson Road from the Toll Road overpass to Robbins Road -- was in line for stimulus funds. Ford did not know the estimated cost of the project.

Ford also said INDOT also told the department that some of the funds could be used to hire an INDOT-certified inspector to oversee the stimulus projects. The Board of Works agreed to put out requests for proposals for the project manager.

While the city just hired a new project manager who is INDOT certified, pursuing a consultant for the latest project would be beneficial, Ford said. The recently hired manager would be able to oversee other projects such as the Stone Avenue stormwater project, which will likely be under construction at the same time as the stimulus projects.

INDOT will let the stimulus project Dec. 9. Work on the projects will begin in the spring, depending on the weather.