When the future Interstate 69 comes through Johnson County, thousands more vehicles will head to local streets to get around the area.
And that is a huge concern for local officials preparing for the interstate to pass through the northwest corner of the county, along the route of State Road 37.
That issue is a key focus of a new plan developed by Johnson County and Bargersville officials on what local governments need to do before I-69 is built. That includes improving local infrastructure, setting development guidelines, extending sewer services and planning for how interchanges should look to serve as a gateway into the county.
Local officials worked with residents and experts to put together the plan, which would need to be approved by county and Bargersville officials before it would go into effect. Once approved, that plan would be used to prioritize road projects, and set guidelines for future development in the areas along the interstate, Johnson County Planning Director David Hittle said.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
“It is a blueprint for how things should develop,” Hittle said.
One of the key issues addressed in the plan is the local road system, which will be impacted by the new interstate, especially with several local roads permanently closing, with no access over or under I-69.
That will mean traffic will significantly increase on the other routes through the Center Grove area, Hittle said. A lack of through routes is already an issue in many suburban areas, and White River Township is no exception, he said.
On the list of proposed actions: upgrade north/south and east/west routes, complete the long-discussed east-west corridor, limit the amount of entrances allowed to businesses along key routes, such as State Road 135, plan for pedestrians to have trails and add more frontage roads to help traffic get around I-69.
Two top priority projects are to upgrade both Smith Valley Road and Morgantown Road, which will both become significantly more busy as local routes once the interstate opens, Hittle said. Both of those projects are listed as high priorities in a list of future improvements included in the I-69 plan.
But the plan also includes improvements to several other roads and intersections in the Center Grove area, to make sure traffic has multiple options to get around after the new interstate cuts off some access points, Hittle said.
That includes improvements to Stones Crossing, Saddle Club, Peterman, Fairview and County Line roads, so traffic can have alternatives to use if the main routes are congested or closed. The list includes multiple intersection improvements, and projects that would widen several roads.
Also on the list: new roads that would connect traffic between different routes, including connecting County Road 144 to both Whiteland Road and Stones Crossing Road, and frontage roads along I-69 that would connect traffic from the Morgan County line to County Line Road, the plan said.
With all of those projects laid out, the next steps will be to prioritize what should be done and when and how they would be paid for, Hittle said.
Estimates show that work to widen the highest priority areas of Smith Valley Road, from I-69 to Morgantown Road, and Morgantown Road, between County Line and Smith Valley roads, could cost as much as $38 million.
Other projects to widen and improve other routes, including other sections of Smith Valley and Morgantown roads, along with sections of County Road 144, Fairview, Stones Crossing, Whiteland, Mullinix, Smokey Row and Olive Branch roads, could cost as much as $290 million total, the plan said.
But if officials begin laying out those projects now, they can work toward getting federal funding to help pay those costs, Hittle said.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Proposed improvements” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Here is a look at some proposed improvements to local roads included in a plan for how to prepare for the future Interstate 69:
High priority projects
Widen Smith Valley Road, from I-69 to State Road 135
Widen Morgantown Road, from County Line Road to Stones Crossing Road
Widen Fairview Road, from Morgantown Road to State Road 135
Widen County Line Road, from I-69 to Morgantown Road
Improve intersection of Morgantown and County Line roads
Medium priority projects
Realign Bluff Road, from Fairview Road to Smith Valley Road
Improvements to intersection of Bluff and Smith Valley roads
Widen Morgantown Road, from Stones Crossing Road to County Road 144
Improve intersection of Smith Valley and Morgantown roads
Improve intersection of Stones Crossing and Saddle Club roads
Widen Olive Branch Road, from Morgantown Road to State Road 135
Widen Saddle Club Road, from Stones Crossing Road to Smokey Row Road
Improve intersection of Peterman and Fairview roads
Improve intersection of Peterman and County Line roads
Improve intersection of Peterman and Smith Valley roads
Widen Mullinix Road, from Smith Valley Road to County Road 144
Widen County Line Road from Morgantown Road to State Road 135
Widen County Road 144, from I-69 to Morgantown Road
Improve intersection of Smith Valley and Paddock roads
Low priority projects
Improve intersection of Olive Branch and Peterman roads
Widen State Road 135, from Smith Valley Road to County Road 144
Widen Stones Crossing Road, from Morgantown Road to State Road 135
Add access to I-69 from Fairview Road
Add access to I-69 from Olive Branch Road
SOURCE: I-69 Johnson County Corridor Plan
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
The Johnson County Planning Commission will be reviewing the plan at its next meeting:
When: 6 p.m. Aug. 27
Where: Courthouse annex, 86 W. Court St., Franklin
[sc:pullout-text-end]
