A $10 million road work project planned immediately east of Interstate 69 is scheduled to limit traffic on the Indiana 45/46 Bypass to one lane in each direction for many months next year.
A spokesman for the Indiana Department of Transportation said Monday that construction workers are completing basic clearing work, which will be followed by utility relocation. According to Sidney Nierman, public communications director for INDOT Southeast, the agency intends to accept bids in February. Construction begins in late spring or early summer.
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INDOT intends to construct left and right turn lanes to the state road between Stonelake Drive and Monroe Street, as well as define U-turn zones with a concrete wall in the middle. According to INDOT officials, the project’s goal is to enhance access for local people while also reducing accidents. Residents who attended a public meeting last year agreed that the neighbourhood needed to be improved, but others questioned whether the suggested alterations were appropriate or the best alternative.
The Interstate 69 project costs
The project’s cost has risen by more than 25%. When INDOT officials discussed the project last year, they estimated it would cost $8 million. Since then, the anticipated cost has risen to a little over $10 million, according to Nierman. The state will contribute 20% of the cost, with federal funds covering the other 80%.
INDOT authorities reported 65 incidents in the region during the last decade. Most of these included rear-end collisions, but also T-bone and head-on collisions when cars attempted to cross or exit the state highway.
Officials stated at the time that they expected the building to begin in early 2023. It will endure the whole construction season. This would interfere with traffic during Indiana University football and basketball games. Both sporting grounds are roughly a mile east of the planned development location. It is also close to the northside Kroger store.
