City of Bicknell Celebrates Completion of New Street Department Building

BICKNELL, Ind. (We Are Knox County) - Many residents of Bicknell gathered Friday to celebrate the opening of the city’s new street department building.

The event featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house, marking the official debut of the facility on White River Avenue.

Bicknell Mayor Thomas Estabrook told WAKC News Now it was time to move on from the aging structure the department had long outgrown.

“The old one wasn’t big enough. We only had two bays with heating and air conditioning,” Estabrook said.

The new building offers significant upgrades, including eight bays, office space, a break room, and a backup generator.

Construction began in early 2024 and was completed earlier this year.

“We moved in this past February and have been working out of here since,” Estabrook said.

The total project cost was about $670,000.

Since the city already owned the land, no additional purchase was needed.

Approximately $550,000 of the funding came from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

The remaining $120,000 was covered using existing city funds, with no need for borrowing.

Mayor Estabrook said he’s pleased to see the project come to life.

“It’s great! I like it, and I know the guys in the street department are happy with it.”