With heavy rain and multiple accidents occurring on Interstate 65, every construction project on the interstate is running about three weeks behind.
Four projects by the Indiana Department of Transportation, including three on I-65 and one on U.S. 31, are under construction in Johnson County. Three roads in Greenwood are still under construction and one road in Franklin remains closed due to a repairing and repaving project.
Now is crunch time for construction crews, as workers are on site up to seven days a week before the end of the construction season in November or early December. The state wants the majority of the projects completed by Thanksgiving, said Harry Maginity, spokesman for the Indiana Department of Transportation.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
But some projects will not be completed by the holidays, Maginity said. The state has been working to rebuild four lanes on I-65 between Franklin and Edinburgh by Oct. 31. But the contractor already told the state that only three of the four lanes will be done by the end of the year, Maginity said.
The fourth lane will be finished next year, at least four months late. Other portions of that project will be finished this year, including replacing the bridge over Blue River and Sugar Creek.
The state also is adding lanes to I-65 between Greenwood’s Main Street exit and the State Road 44 exit in Franklin, but that will not be completed until next year, Maginity said. Another section of I-65, between the Southport Road exit and the Main Street exit, also is getting additional lanes added and is slated to be finished by the end of the year.
Motorists should not expect to see orange barrels on the interstate come wintertime, Maginity said. Even though the projects may not be 100 percent completed, any lanes that can be driven on will be open for drivers to use and the barrels will be removed, he said.
The majority of Worthsville Road from I-65 to U.S. 31 has been closed for more than a year, but most of the work will be done by Thanksgiving, Greenwood city engineer Mark Richards said earlier this month.
Only one project is on schedule: Franklin’s West Jefferson Street repairs and improvements made on the west side of U.S. 31. Construction started in late July and will be done by late November, Mayor Joe McGuinness said. This is first phase of a four-year project to upgrade Jefferson Street.
By the time the project is done, the entire downtown stretch of Jefferson Street will be repaved and have new street lights, curbs, storm sewers and sidewalks installed. The street will match the recent updates done to North Main Street.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”The construction projects” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Interstate 65
What: Adding one lane onto the north and south side of I-65
Status: Under construction
Completion: Southport Road to Main Street — by the end of this year; Main Street to State Road 44 — next year
Delayed: At least three weeks
What: Rebuilding the road and replacing bridges between State Road 44 and Edinburgh
Status: Under construction
Completion: Three of the four total lanes will be done by Thanksgiving, but the fourth lane will not be finished this year.
Delayed: At least four months
New interchange at I-65 and Worthsville Road
Status: Under construction; need to build ramps to complete the project.
Completion: Thanksgiving
Delayed: At least three weeks
U.S. 31 in Greenwood
What: Replacing a culvert, or small bridge, on U.S. 31 near Pushville Road
Status: Half of the project is completed
Completion: October
Delayed: About a month
West Jefferson Street
What: Repaving West Jefferson Street, installing sidewalks, new storm sewers, street lights and curbs
Status: One month into construction
Completion: By December
Delayed: None
Worthsville Road in Greenwood
What: Adding a roundabout at Worthsville and Sheek roads, widening the road and repaving the street
Status: Under construction
Completion: Thanksgiving
Madison and Pearl in downtown Greenwood
What: Replacing a sewer pipe that was originally installed more than 80 years ago
Originally set for completion: Oct. 30
[sc:pullout-text-end]
