Infrastructure News Summary
For June 27, 2008

CARMEL COULD GET FIRST HIGHWAY ROUNDABOUTS
INDOT CONSIDERING USING ROUNDABOUTS IN U.S. 31 UPGRADE
The Indy Channel
6/26/08

CARMEL, Ind. -- Carmel residents who came out Thursday to review plans to upgrade U.S. 31 saw a familiar concept in INDOT's proposal: roundabouts. The Indiana Department of Transportation is proposing two roundabouts along U.S. 31 in Carmel: one at 136th Street and the other at 131st Street. If approved, the roundabouts would be the first of their kind on any U.S. highway. http://www.theindychannel.com/news/16720612/detail.html

MAJOR CONSTRUCTION AHEAD FOR US 31
WTHR
Lynsay Clutter
6/26/08

Carmel - Years of major construction are planned for US 31 in Hamilton County and the public is being invited to see the plans and give feedback. Looking 20 years ahead at growth, INDOT wants to turn 13 miles of US 31 in Hamilton County into a freeway with wider lanes, and ramps at the intersections instead of traffic lights. Construction would begin in 2011 near State Road 38 - or 216th street in Westfield - and end at I-465 around 2018. It's a $487 million project funded by federal money and Major Moves revenue from the leasing of the toll road.
http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=8557594
Also, http://www.wibc.com/News/Story.aspx?ID=94312

INDOT OFFICIALS REVIEW LOCAL PROJECTS
Fox 28
6/24/08

Officials from the Indiana Department of Transportation including the commissioner of INDOT and other high ranking INDOT officials were in the area today to check the status of some local projects. One of the many construction projects scheduled for the summer is the State Route 15/US 20 interchange, which was one of the focuses of today's meeting. Also on today's agenda were the bridge projects at County Road 17 and Johnson Street, a potential railroad overpass at Prarie and the widening of Nappanee Street. One important project they discussed that may have drivers seeing brake lights is construction at State Route 19 and County Road 26 in Elkhart County. http://www.fox28.com/Global/story.asp?S=8547356

TERRE HAUTE CONSTRUCTION CAUSING BACKUPS
WTHI-TV
6/26/08

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Major moves caused major headaches on Terre Haute's southside this morning. Crews were out in full force Thursday morning working on the U.S. 41 and Interstate 70 interchange project causing traffic congestion for morning commuters. It's all part of a Major Moves project that will add turn lanes, widen ramps, new sidewalks and landscaping in the area. The project is expected to take about a year to complete. http://www.wthitv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8560865

CONSTRUCTION WORK RAMPS UP IN DOWNTOWN INDIANAPOLIS
PROJECT OPEN MARKET FORCES SHUTDOWN OF DOWNTOWN THOROUGHFARES
The Indy Channel
6/26/08

INDIANAPOLIS -- Getting in and out of downtown Indianapolis is about to get a little trickier with the start of Project Open Market. An Indianapolis Department of Public Works official said by Monday, Southeastern Avenue will be shut down between Shelby Street and East Washington Street. Shelby Street will also close at Southeastern Avenue, and Daly Street will be shut down from Pine Street to Shelby Street. The closures are expected to be in place for approximately three months, allowing crews time to install sanitary and storm sewers in the area. Workers will also reconstruct the intersection of Southeastern Avenue and Washington Street just east of the existing location, making Daly Street a dead-end street, DPW officials said. http://www.theindychannel.com/news/16717654/detail.html

SAFETY CURB FOR W. JEFFERSON
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
6/26/08

The Fort Wayne Board of Public Works on Wednesday approved the construction of a curb along West Jefferson Boulevard between Freeman Street and Ardmore Avenue. Bob Kennedy, director of public works, said the curb will be used to slow traffic in the area just east of Jefferson Pointe and keep vehicles from crashing into the adjacent sound barrier that protects Wildwood Park. The curb is expected to be built this year, and Kennedy said the wall will be repaired this summer.
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080626/LOCAL/806260318/-1/LOCAL08