BUILD INDIANA COUNCIL Infrastructure Media Summary April 20, 2010

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1 BUILD INDIANA COUNCIL Infrastructure Media Summary April 20, 2010 Public hearing held for 641 Bypass WTHI Kate Greene After nearly 10 years in the making the 641 bypass is in it's final two phases. Thursday night, the Indiana Department of Transportation held a public meeting at Terre Haute South High School to give you a sneak peak at the final two phases for the 641 bypass. Close to 100 people poured into the auditorium listening and commenting on this bypass project. Discussions ranged from the environmental assessment to where the construction project will take place. Maps were on display showing the construction from Riley Road to the 1-70 Interchange and State Road 46. "Construction should begin in 2010 and take two construction seasons to complete so we hope that this bypass will open to traffic by the end of the construction season in 2013," INDOT Spokesperson Debbie Calder said. More traffic changes coming for Keystone Ave. through Carmel WTHR Chris Proffitt More detours are coming on Keystone Parkway though Carmel. The $112 million rebuilding of Keystone Parkway through Carmel is expected to wrap by autumn, but not before another round of detours force the construction of another interchange and the 45-day closing of the road from 126th to 136th Street. Main Street at Keystone closes during the first week of May. "That'll be the last intersection to close. It'll actually be open before Carmel Drive will because of the type of construction we have to do and the main reason is to get it open prior to school in the fall," said Jeremy Kashman, Keystone project manager. That's because Main Street is the front door to Carmel High School. City officials say they've been working with school officials to minimize delays caused by the construction. The city has already put maps out showing detours for locals that include Gray and Rangeline Roads and Hazel Dell Parkway. Keystone will close the second week of May from 126th street to 136th forcing through traffic to take US 31. The Main Street interchange is part of the final phase of the three-year project along the five miles of Keystone through Carmel that completely changes six major intersections. When complete, Keystone will have no stoplights, but will have elevated roundabouts going east and west. 4 downtown streets slated for repaving

2 Benjamin Lanka Downtown Fort Wayne commuters will see federal stimulus money at work in coming weeks but the headaches are expected to be short-lived. Orange construction signs and cones have sprouted along several key routes and drivers aren t seeing double, there really are more this year. Bob Kennedy, Fort Wayne director of public works, said the infusion of federal stimulus money along with the city s typical infrastructure budget will mean more streets will be improved this spring and summer than in years past. The city will spend about $3 million of federal money to resurface major streets plus $2 million on local asphalt work and $2.5 million on concrete streets, he said. State announces 3-year plan for Cline Avenue Post-Tribune Chelsea Schneider Kirk Instead of rebuilding the beleaguered Cline Avenue bridge, state officials announced Thursday that Riley and Dickey roads will be rehabilitated to permanently handle traffic. The estimated $75 million plan calls for the resurfacing of Riley and Dickey roads and the construction of new ramps at Dickey onto Cline. An existing four-lane drawbridge along Dickey will handle barge traffic on the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal. Also, EDITORIAL: Interstate 69: Highway construction in Indiana continues in high gear. Evansville Courier & Press Despite positive projections that see 65 miles of Interstate 69 in Southern Indiana under construction just one year from now, huge financial hurdles remain. Indeed, the same energy, determination and perserverance that convinced state leaders to put the Evansville-to-Indianapolis highway on the map will be needed in the years to come to put an interstate bridge over the Ohio River and to finance highway construction all the way to Indianapolis. Of course, this is a national highway project that eventually will become a seven-state, 2,600 mile corridor from Michigan to Texas. But for now, the immediate interest in Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky is on finding a way to build the highway all the way from Indianapolis and points north, down through Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky. Widening resumes on U.S. 24 Benjamin Lanka I think it s safe to say it is officially construction season in northeast Indiana. Drivers across the area have probably begun seeing orange barrels and warning signs popping up. With the start of a new season comes more work on the massive Fort to Port project to widen and improve U.S. 24 from Fort Wayne to Toledo. The state awarded the project s second-phase contract for $12.3 million to E&B Paving of Anderson. The contractor will

3 build 2.2 miles of four-lane divided highway, including a new diamond interchange at Webster Road. The work will extend from Webster to east of Bruick Road by late MLK Jr. Street to get upgrades WTHR Indianapolis - One of the city's best known thoroughfares is getting some major upgrades. The $2 million project runs from I-65 on the north to Fall Creek Boulevard on the south. It will condense the four-lane road to a two-lane boulevard with on-street parking, transit shelters and neighborhood markers. The goal is to serve as a catalyst for revitalization and new development. Construction will start in a week or so. The project should be done by year's end. There is a phase two, but the city is still looking for ways to fund it. Indiana 23 project starts Monday in Granger WSBT Get ready for a major construction project on busy Indiana 23 in Granger. The road will be closed in both directions at the railroad tracks starting Monday (April 19) while workers rebuild the crossing. It's part of a project to widen Indiana 23 from two lanes to four. The project is expected to be complete by the end of the month. Also, Changes coming to Capital Avenue WSBT Alyssa Rossomme An upcoming road project will lead to a better connection from the Toll Road to the bypass in St. Joseph County. Work to widen Capital Avenue to four lanes from Lincolnway to the bypass could begin as soon as this summer. Angie Fegaras, INDOT Communications Director, said they are asking for the public s patience during the project. It's going to be a long project. There's a lot of work involved, she said. The work will include a new railroad bridge just south of Lincolnway. The road will go underneath the tracks. County completes Bostick bridge land purchases Amanda Iacone 4/17/10 A long-closed St. Marys River crossing in southern Allen County could reopen to drivers in the fall of The Allen County commissioners Friday bought the last piece of right of way needed to build a two-lane bridge on Bostick Road. The purchase will allow the county to advertise the project for bids and begin construction this year. Highway Director Bill Hartman said he expects bids to be awarded in July or August, and workers could begin pouring the river pilings this winter. The new bridge is expected to open to drivers in the fall of 2011, he said.

4 Construction project will close Ind. 44 The Indianapolis Star Shelbyville -- The Indiana Department of Transportation will close Ind. 44 today from Shelby County Road 500 West to County Road 900 West, just east of Sugar Creek. Construction crews will rebuild the roadbed, replace drainage structures and widen shoulders. Work is expected to continue through the end of June. Ind. 62 lane project to close two roads Evansville Courier & Press Nicole Nolan As part of the Major Moves project to add lanes to Ind. 62 between Chandler and Boonville in Warrick County, the Indiana Department of Transportation expects to close Old Plank and Squaw Creek roads as soon as Tuesday. Construction crews will build new intersections at Ind. 62 and will be installing drainage structures beneath the road. The Major Moves project will create additional lanes, turn lanes and a new water drainage system. Maplecrest Extension Project To Begin Monday Indiana s News Center Scott Sarvay After years of planning and controversy, the Maplecrest Road Extension Project is finally ready to begin. Ground is scheduled to be broken at the Do-It-Best Headquarters in New Haven Monday morning. The $40 million project will extend Maplecrest 1.5 miles from Lake Avenue, over the Maumee River, to Adams Center Road. Four new bridges will also be built. The project is scheduled to be finished in the fall of Also, Also, Road project upsets S'ville council The NWI Times Vanessa Renderman Town officials are disappointed in a highway project's direction. Schererville had thought the Indiana Department of Transportation would reconstruct U.S. 41, from the north side of the bridge up to Main Street. But, transportation officials told the town last week the project will be more of a structural overlay, Town Manager Bob Volkmann said. The project will involve removing and replacing the top 7 inches of road, from the southern approach of the bridge up to Main Street, said Angie Fegaras, spokeswoman for the Indiana Department of Transportation. Originally, the project scope was to remove the top 1 to 3 inches of surface, from the north side of the bridge to Main Street. Digging deeper instead will extend the life

5 of the roadway, and the change means using less money, she said. The project will not incorporate new drainage measures, she said. State, New Albany work out deal for Ind. 111 The News and Tribune Daniel Suddeath New Albany and the Indiana Department of Transportation have officially agreed on a deal for the city to takeover 4.5 miles of Ind The Tribune first reported the terms of the contract last month, though Mayor Doug England said he was still reviewing the INDOT offer at the time. New Albany will assume ownership of an INDOT maintenance garage along Grant Line Road and receive $6.125 million to control Ind. 111 in the city, which winds between Interstate 265 and I-64 from Mount Tabor Road to State Street. The city has outlined plans to improve road conditions along the route with the state money, but they do not include an overpass over the railroad tracks along Grant Line Road near the General Mills Pillsbury plant. As late as January of 2009, it was assumed that INDOT was still pursuing the overpass project to address congestion issues along the route. The state had made preliminary purchase offers to businesses INDOT needed to obtain and tear down so the bridge could be constructed. In a news release Monday, INDOT officials said the overpass was deemed to be too expensive. Train traffic had decreased since the initial surveys and the overpass would adversely impact many businesses, according to the release