More than $27 million worth of road and bridge improvements could be coming to Johnson County during the next four years.
The projects include adding turn lanes to busy intersections, repaving and resurfacing roads and bridges, such as U.S. 31 and State Road 44, and building a new road to help connect the east-west corridor. The work is scheduled to be completed between 2016 and 2019, according to a project list released by the Indiana Department of Transportation.
But first, the state has to approve the list; and in some cases, local governments have to find the money to help pay for them.
And in Franklin, officials aren’t sure their priorities match the state’s.
Engineers, architects and planners with the state have determined which roads and bridges need improvement in the next four years, INDOT spokesman Harry Maginity said. State officials typically look at safety, mobility, congestion and emergency response concerns.
If a project isn’t on the initial list, it likely will not be paid for with federal money, and most likely will not be done in the next four years, Maginity said. The state is asking for public input, and state engineers and architects will look into any suggested improvements to see if the roads are in disrepair or dangerous for residents to drive on. If the conditions are bad enough that they need to be replaced within the next four years, the state could add the project to the list, Maginity said.
The final list of projects will be released later this year, Maginity said.
Nearly half of the projects on the list are in or around Franklin. And many of those projects will require the city to help pay for the construction costs. But Franklin does not have money set aside to pay for most of those projects, city engineer Travis Underhill said.
If a local community does not have money to contribute to the project, the state will use the dollars elsewhere, Maginity said.
Three of the projects would revamp intersections that the Franklin Redevelopment Commission has discussed for a year, Mayor Joe McGuinness said. The intersections of Commerce Drive and Graham Road, Eastview Drive and Upper Shelbyville Road and Arvin Drive and Commerce Parkway have been on the city board’s to-do list.
Last year, the city discussed turning the intersections into roundabouts, but no funding has been set aside for that work.
According to the state’s list, the three intersection improvements would cost Franklin about $650,000. Even though the projects are on the list, the city does not have any money set aside to complete them, Underhill said.
The city’s main focus is completing repaving and other work on Jefferson and King streets, which will not be done until 2019, Underhill said.
The city will continue to apply for state and federal grants to come up with the money to fund other projects, Underhill said. The intersection improvements would not need to be done within the next four years, so they could be pushed back until money is set aside to pay for construction, Underhill said.
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The Indiana Department of Transportation is asking for public comment about roads or bridges that need improvement over the next four years. The state has an initial list of projects, but officials want residents to point out any projects they missed or that need to be addressed. An open house is scheduled next week.
Where: Main conference room of the Seymour district building for the Indiana Department of Transportation, 185 Agrico Lane, Seymour.
When: 4-7 p.m. Tuesday
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Johnson County could receive more than $27.2 million worth of improvements to the roads and bridges through 2019, according to a new list of construction projects released by the Indiana Department of Transportation.
Here’s a look at the projects:
Bridge replacement, Johnson County
Where: Franklin Road, north of County Road 1000N over Leatherwood Creek
When: 2016
Cost: $621,000
New road, east of Greenwood
Where: Clark School Road and Worthsville Road
When: 2016-2017
Cost: $2.77 million
Bridge structure replacement, State Road 135
Where: On State Road 135, north of State Road 144
When: 2017-2018
Cost: $458,000
Bridge resurfacing and repaving, I-65
Where: Greensburg Road, south of State Road 44
When: 2017-2018
Cost: $1 million
Road maintenance, resurfacing, U.S. 31
Where: From Westview Drive to Stop 18 Road
When: 2016
Cost: $4.1 million
Bridge resurfacing, U.S. 31
Where: South of State Road 252, over Big Blue River
When: 2016
Cost: $372,000
Bridge resurfacing, State Road 44
Where: West of State Road 135, over Stotts Creek
When: 2016
Cost: $68,000
Bridge resurfacing, State Road 252
Where: East of U.S. 31, over Big Blue River
When: 2016
Cost: $175,500
Road rehabilitation, State Road 44/King Street
Where: From Crowell Street to Eastview Drive; and from Eastview Drive to Bartram Parkway
When: 2017-2018
Cost: $11.6 milliom
Intersection improvements with added turn lanes
Where: Intersection of Graham Road and Commerce Drive
When: 2018
Cost: $1 million
Intersection improvements with added turn lanes
Where: Intersection of Eastview Drive and Upper Shelbyville Road
When: 2017
Cost: $1.4 million
Intersection improvements with added turn lanes
Where: Intersection of Arvin Drive and Commerce Parkway
When: 2018
Cost: $1.4 million
Road resurfacing and repaving, State Road 37
Where: From State Road 144 to the Marion County line (about 5.5 miles)
When: 2016
Cost: $1.3 million
Bridge resurfacing, I-65
Where: North of State Road 44, on County Road 100N
When: 2017
Cost: $74,635
Bridge resurfacing, I-65
Where: South of State Road 44, on County Road 250S
When: 2017
Cost: $91,877
Bridge resurfacing, I-65
Where: North of State Road 44, on County Road 300N
When: 2017
Cost: $76,293
Source: Indiana Department of Transportation
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