BEDFORD – City of Bedford Mayor Sam Craig held the first Annual State of the City Address following the conclusion of the City Council meeting, where he provided updates to projects that occurred in 2020 and 2021.
A few highlights from 2021 included:
- Milling & Paving efforts in town
- J & I streets repaved and railroad tracks removed
- First-ever crack sealing on Old Mitchell Road and John Williams Boulevard
- Lincoln Avenue updated paving following Stormwater Project
- 2.5 Miles of roadway renovated
- Transit
- Re-instituted same day call-in services for Tasc Bus services
- Eliminated service fees in April 2020
- Tasc Buses provide transit to COVID-19 testing sites while keeping passengers and drivers safe
- Events
- Wilson Park Fireworks on July 4th
- Drive-by Santa Claus event at Milwaukee Depot
- CDBG Small Business Grants
- Awarded $241,873 to aid small businesses in recovery efforts
- Helped 30 businesses – $5,000-$10,000 to each business
- Park Expansions and Renovation efforts
- Thornton, Wilson, and Brookside parks were all expanded and upgraded due to safety concerns
- City Hall entrance renovations
2021 provided more efforts which included:
- Sewer Plant Project
- Began in March 2021 for $7 million
- 90 feet in diameter, 12 feet deep and holds 300,000 gallons of water
- Should be completed Summer 2022
- Utilities
- $1.6 million in state transportation and stormwater grants
- Fixed flooding issues on 5th Street
- Maintained manholes and updated Edgewood Lift Station
- 49 new fire hydrants, with 22 still awaiting install
- Development & Investment
- Hampton Inn – 88 rooms
- GM invested $50 million in Bedford to prepare for electric vehicle production
- Police Department Upgrades
- Officers are equipped with outer carriers which increases the health and well-being of officers
- New body cams with updated software are incoming
- Utilization of two K9 Units
- New Police Station – nearly doubles the square footage of current location – from 6,534 to 13,442 sqft
Upcoming items include an additional 5.5 miles of milling and repaving efforts in town, renovation of the Wilson Park Shelter House as well as the creation of a City of Bedford Flag.
Additional information and the live stream post can be found on the City of Bedford Facebook page.
