Infrastructure News Summary
For July 29, 2008
Small bridge planned on SR 57 over
Prairie Creek
The Washington Times-Herald
7/28/08
The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is developing plans for the
proposed replacement of the small structure over a tributary to Prairie Creek on
State Road (SR) 57 and the improvements to the SR 57 and County Road 500 North
(CR 500N) intersection. The project is located about 5.54 miles north of Old US
50 in Daviess County. The total project length is about 0.11 mile. The SR 57
roadway grade level will be raised about 0.4 feet maximum south of the
structure. The roadway through the structure will provide two 12-foot travel
lanes with 6-foot shoulders. The existing culvert will be replaced with a
precast concrete culvert with a 36-foot clear roadway width. The new culvert
will be located about 15 feet north of the existing culvert. Construction of the
project will require approximately 0.9 acre of new permanent right-of-way. The
temporary runaround will be constructed on the east side of SR 57 and will
require 2.2 acres of temporary right-of-way. Total cost of the project is
estimated at $1,071,746. At present, we are planning to use both state and
federal funds for construction of the project. http://www.washtimesherald.com/legalnotices/local_story_210093813.html
Taylor Street closing set
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Anne Gregory
7/28/08
Starting Tuesday, Taylor Street will be closed from Ardmore Avenue to Portage
Boulevard. The Fort Wayne Traffic Engineering Department said that section of
road will be closed to all traffic until about Aug. 15 for the start of the
Taylor and Ardmore intersection project that will add turn lanes and a traffic
signal. The detour uses Freeman Street, Covington Road and Ardmore Avenue.
During this closure, Brooks Construction will construct left-turn lanes in all
directions and an auxiliary right-turn lane on Taylor Street for westbound
traffic, Monday's announcement said. The project will add additional lanes to
Ardmore, making it four lanes from the Covington Road intersection to Taylor.
The city is also adding a multiuse trail on the west side of this section of
Ardmore. Other work includes new storm sewers, curbs and sidewalks. This $1.25
million project is scheduled to be complete in mid-November. http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080728/LOCAL/25484054/1002/LOCAL
Highway fund falls as drivers cut back
Journal & Courier
Larry Copeland
7/29/08
In the latest reflection of $4-a-gallon gas, Americans drove 9.6 billion
fewer miles in May than in May 2007, a 3.7 percent decline that is the largest
drop in miles traveled for any May, the federal government reported Monday.
Traffic normally increases in May, which ends with the Memorial Day holiday
weekend that marks the traditional start of the summer driving season. The
decline was the third-largest monthly drop in the 66 years that the Federal
Highway Administration has tracked miles driven. Transportation Secretary Mary
Peters said the continued decline in driving signals long-term changes in the
nation's transportation habits and highlights the need to find new ways to pay
for roads and bridges. "Fewer trips are being made to conventional service
stations, and we expect that to continue," Peters said. "Our approach
to transportation in America needs to change." The federal Highway Trust
Fund, which funds road construction with gas taxes, faces a $3.1 billion
shortfall in fiscal year 2009 because drivers are buying less gas. Peters plans
to unveil a plan today in Atlanta that will "refocus, reform and
renew" the government's approach to transportation funding. http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080729/NEWS/807290318
Roundabouts project gets turned down
3-2 vote approves 'change order' for 2 of 3 roundabouts
The Tribune-Star
Arthur Foulkes
7/28/08
TERRE HAUTE - The Terre Haute Board of Public Works and Safety approved plans
Monday to eliminate the last two remaining roundabouts, or traffic circles, on
the Brown Boulevard project. In a 3-2 vote Monday afternoon, the board voted to
approve a "change order," which is a change in an existing city
agreement. The change order eliminated the final two of three roundabouts that
had been planned for the project. "We approved a change order but we did
not make the decision" to eliminate the roundabouts, said board member
Robert Murray after the meeting in City Hall. "Concern about whether there
should or should not be [roundabouts] should be directed to [Mayor Duke Bennett]
and the engineering department, he said. The original decision to build
roundabouts in the Brown Boulevard project was very controversial in 2004, said
board president Bill Lower. "Now it's the reverse," he said. Bennett's
main concern had to do with truck traffic near the planned roundabouts, he said.
The mayor also was concerned about school bus and student traffic at a planned
roundabout near Terre Haute North Vigo High School, Ennis said. http://www.tribstar.com/news/local_story_210233921.html