Infrastructure News Summary
For June 30, 2008

NEW SIGNAL ON HILLEGAS GREENLIGHTED
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Benjamin Lanka
6/28/08

A much-anticipated traffic signal is on the way for northwest Fort Wayne motorists.
Q. What is the status of the Butler/Hillegas traffic signal? I read in your column a couple of years ago, that they were going to put a signal at the intersection of Butler Road and Hillegas Road. … Could you please check this out? Thank you. - E-mail from Deb, of Fort Wayne
A. What perfect timing for your question, Deb. Yes, the signal is still on its way. In fact, it's coming this year. The Fort Wayne Board of Works on Wednesday awarded the project to Brooks Construction for $601,983. Though it still must go before the City Council, City Engineer David Ross said he is hopeful the work will begin quickly. He said that though the roadwork is fairly simple, waiting for the actual traffic signal may take some time. http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080628/LOCAL0203/806280327/1002/LOCAL

WIDENING IND. 16 NOT GIVEN MUCH HOPE BY INDOT
The Wabash Plain Dealer
Sherry Loshnowsky
6/27/08

There was no false hope given at a meeting Friday where state highway officials talked about possible improvements to Ind. 16 in Miami, Wabash and Huntington counties. Concerned residents, Indiana Department of Transportation officials and several local state representatives met at the Roann Community Building to exchange information about the rural highway. The residents' message to INDOT officials was clear: Ind. 16 is narrow and dangerous. But that's not necessarily enough to get the road widened. John Leckie, a representative from the Fort Wayne District INDOT office, said according to his data the highway is very average in terms of crashes. From 2004 to 2007, on a stretch of 16 from U.S. 31 to Huntington, there were 118 crashes and exactly half of those involved deer, Leckie said. He said 16 of them resulted in injuries and two in fatalities. http://www.wabashplaindealer.com/articles/2008/06/27/local_news/local2.txt

INDOT PRESENTS NEW U.S. 31 PLANS TO PUBLIC
Noblesville Daily Times
Robert Herrington
6/27/08

The Indiana Department of Transportation presented Hamilton County residents with a horde of knowledge about the proposed U.S. Hamilton County Major Moves project during an open house Thursday at Carmel High School. In addition to a visualization video and two public hearings that explained the project and took comments from residents, the INDOT open house broke down the project into six areas - alignment and interchanges, environmental, land acquisition, bike and pedestrian, land use and traffic. Each area had several INDOT staff members on hand to answer questions and explain that portion of the project using charts, designs, maps or videos. The U.S. 31 Major Moves Project will expand the highway from South Bend to Indianapolis. Hamilton County will be impacted from 216th Street to Interstate 465. Construction in Hamilton County is expected to begin in 2011 at Indiana 38, with the project being completed in sections. The overall project is expected to be completed by 2035, but INDOT and project personnel believe it should be done ahead of time.
http://www.county29.net/cms2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15758&Itemid=230

INDOT CLOSURES COULD CREATE CONFUSION THROUGH EARLY JULY
The NWI Times
Bill Dolan
6/27/08

The Indiana Department of Transportation announced Friday it will conduct a series of closures of the Interstate 65 ramps to Interstate 80/94 Saturday through July 11 to further the reconstruction of the interchange. The closures eventually will allow both directions of I-65 traffic to be shifted onto newly constructed northbound I-65 bridges and pavement, the state reports. Traffic on the ramp from northbound I-65 to westbound I-80/94 also will be shifted onto newly constructed pavement. Once this traffic is shifted, demolition and reconstruction of southbound I-65 bridges and pavement can begin. http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2008/06/27/updates/breaking_news/doc486558f4ab335673618164.txt

CHOSEN ROUTE NOT IN PUBLIC'S BEST INTEREST
South Bend Tribune
6/28/08

When I learned that the Indiana Department of Transportation was going to make Capital Avenue a major north-south highway, I suggested the state consider extending it directly south to Rochester. This route is better than the more western route, which is near U.S. 31, because it would save those east of Mishawaka approximately 18 miles when going to Indianapolis. For those in South Bend, the eastern and western routes would be practically the same distance to Indianapolis. The eastern route that InDOT analyzed went southwest to LaPaz and then southeast to Rochester, which would add approximately 25 miles for those going from South Bend to Indianapolis. Obviously, that would not be feasible. http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080628/Opinion/806280351/1063/Opinion