Infrastructure News Summary
For April 7, 2008

RESISTING I-69
THE ISSUE: ROADBLOCK GROUP PLANS SUMMER RESISTANCE.
OUR VIEW: THIS HIGHWAY IS GOING TO BE CONSTRUCTED.
Evansville Courier & Press
4/6/08

Just as the Indiana Department of Transportation is planning for the groundbreaking and beginning of construction this year on Interstate 69, so too, apparently, a group of highway foes is planning on hindering that work. The group calling itself Roadblock Earth First has been circulating fliers in Evansville, hoping to recruit members and supplies for its misadventures. Some items on the list are a bit scary, given that one flier is titled "We will never let them build this road." http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/apr/07/resisting-i-69-the-issue-roadblock-group-plans/

MEETING ABOUT ROAD PROJECT SET THIS WEEK
The Star Press
4/6/08

DUNKIRK - A public information meeting on Dunkirk's Main Street Major Moves project is set for Wednesday at the West Jay Community Center, 125 Hoover St. Indiana Department of Transportation officials will discuss impending road work and traffic restrictions along Ind. 167 through the city. INDOT area engineer James Colonis and Brooks Construction's project manager, Adam Hertel, will overview facets of construction and answer questions. The $6.2 million, two-year reconstruction of Main Street includes full-depth pavement replacement, new sidewalks, curbs and drainage system work. http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080406/NEWS01/804060344/1002

ROAD CONDITION STOPS MAIL
The Herald Bulletin
Brandi Watters
4/6/08

ALEXANDRIA - The county road that runs past the homes of Butch Lewis and Mike Kemp of Alexandria was once surfaced with the standard tar and chip asphalt common on rural roads. Nowadays, the one-mile stretch of County Road 1300 North between Indiana 9 and County Road 100 East northeast of Alexandria is a mixture of mud, potholes and crumbled stone. The road has gotten so bad in the past year and a half that the Alexandria post office can no longer deliver mail to the two remaining residents living along the road. Non-stop truck traffic during the construction of Poet's ethanol plant is being blamed for the road's ruin but plant officials say they are not responsible for its repairs. "We build plants, not roads," said Nathan Schock of Poet. http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/local/local_story_097203928.html

SIGNAL SET FOR AUBURN AND WALLEN
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Benjamin Lanka
4/5/08

Q. I'm wondering why they don't put a traffic light at Auburn and Wallen roads. This is a terrible tie-up at certain times, and with school and church there, please check to see whether this will happen soon. - From D. Ghaster of Fort Wayne
A. Thanks for the suggestion, D, and I assume it is a real problem as others have recently written asking for this change. The good news is you should see your desired improvements in a year. Shan Gunawardena, the city's traffic engineer, said this intersection has been identified for several improvements, including added lanes along Auburn Road. http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080405/LOCAL0203/804050367/1002/LOCAL

IND. 15 LANE ADDITIONS EXPECTED IN 2011
Times-Union
Daniel Riordan
4/4/08

Business owners along Ind. 15 who received letters recently about adding traffic lanes won't have to contend with construction crews until 2011. Businesses along Ind. 15N from U.S. 30 to 2,000 feet north of Levi Lee Road received letters from Certified Engineering Inc., a company out of Indianapolis, several weeks ago. Certified Engineering is conducting a design survey for the Indiana Department of Transportation and informed businesses that engineers might be required to come onto their property to complete their survey. Runfa Shi, INDOT's project manager, stated that conducting design surveys is one of the first steps in beginning a road project. Shi said that he anticipated the addition of lanes to that stretch of Ind. 15 to begin sometime in 2011. The project is a part of Governor Mitch Daniels' Major Moves plan.
http://www.timesuniononline.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=224&ArticleID=32247&TM=49271.82

INITIAL I-69 BIDS SURPRISINGLY LOW
Indiana Business Journal
4/4/08

The lowest bid for building the first leg of the Interstate 69 extension from Indianapolis to Evansville came in at $25.2 million - well below the $41.9 million anticipated by the Indiana Department of Transportation. The bid by Clarksville-based Gohmann Asphalt & Construction Inc. could be a harbinger that the cost of the extension will be less than expected, according to the Evansville Courier & Press. Four of five total bids submitted were at least $13 million below the anticipated cost for the 1.8-mile leg, which links Interstate 64 to State Road 68 in southwest Indiana. INDOT is required by law to accept the lowest bid, and authorization to begin work could come within a month. INDOT has estimated the cost of the entire project at $1.8 billion. http://www.ibj.com/html/detail_page.asp?content=13373

SCATTERFIELD BRIDGE WORK STARTS SOON
The Herald Bulletin
4/4/08

Demolition work will begin soon on the Indiana 9 bridge across White River in Anderson as crews from the Schutt-Lookabill Company of Indianapolis remove and replace piers under the southbound lanes of the structure. Lane restriction signage is being positioned at the work site Tuesday to advise of lane closures on or after April 14. During the first phase of repair and rehabilitation, the west half of piers 2 and 7 will be completely rebuilt and a new bridge deck overlay put in place for southbound lanes. Lanes on the west side of the bridge will be closed with single-lane two-way traffic routed onto the east half of the bridge. Later, pier caps on the east half will be replaced and a bridge deck overlay installed for northbound lanes. At that time, traffic will be routed to lanes on the west half of the bridge. The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) does not anticipate a detour around the construction area. This 438-foot White River bridge on Scatterfield Road/Indiana 9 is supported by six piers and two end bends. Traffic count nears 35,000 vehicles a day. The $1.6 million project is expected to be completed in October. http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/local/local_story_095202737.html

CONSTRUCTION TO CLOSE 116TH STREET TUESDAY
The Indianapolis Star
Nancy Heck
4/7/08

Please be advised of the road closure at the 116th Street and Clay Center Road intersection necessary for the construction of a roundabout and bridge culvert replacement. The closure was originally scheduled for Monday, March 31st, but was delayed due to utility issues and weather. http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008804070377

IF IT'S SPRING, IT'S ALSO TIME FOR ROAD WORK
The Indianapolis Star
4/5/08

Plainfield " With warm weather on the way, Plainfield is preparing to resume work on a three-year program of road-widening and construction of at least two roundabouts on the southside of town. "A lot of people have said this road work is for the new high school, but actually these are all capital improvement projects on our list of priorities," said town Transportation Director Don McGillem. The first signs of road work this spring are crews from Calumet Contractors and other companies starting on grading and pavement for a two-lane roundabout. It is to be constructed this summer at Hadley Road and Center Street. That roundabout will be a $3.7 million slice of the $15 million bond issue the town sold to fund the expansions and improvements to Center Street and Reeves and Hadley roads, and construction of Red Pride Drive. http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008804050460