Crews have been busy crack sealing roads to help extend the life of the pavement and to provide a smoother road surface.
Local street department workers and INDOT crews have been busy with the process to keep water from getting into the cracks to slow the deterioration process and to prevent frost heave damage and potholes. This work is typically done in the spring and fall when temperatures are not at an extreme.
A public hearing is scheduled for this week to gather input on the proposed U.S. 20 pavement project from a 0.2 mile east of U.S. 421 to a 0.3 mile west of the U.S. 35/State Road 212 interchange in Coolspring and Michigan Township in LaPorte County.
The pavement conditions will be improved in that section of road with the addition of a center turn lane with concrete curb and gutter between Woodland Avenue and Johnson Road. An auxiliary turn lane for westbound traffic will be constructed adjacent to the Evergreen Park Business Center.
U.S. 421 between the west junctions of State Road 10 and State Road 14 in Starke and Pulaski Counties will be closed today through the end of the day on Friday for chip seal and fog seal operations
This project is weather dependent and could be delayed. Indiana Department of Transportation crews will escort traffic through the worksite, but drivers are asked to find another route of travel during this process.
The grand opening of the new U.S. 31 highway between Plymouth and South Bend was held Wednesday afternoon with Governor Mike Pence and Congresswoman Jackie Walorski in attendance plus the engineers behind the project and the crews that worked on the highway.
Governor Pence said the new U.S. 31 will be a great asset to the economy of not only Northern Indiana but the whole state.
“I think it’s really incalculable,” said Pence. “When I say that roads mean jobs, I mean that having the right infrastructure creates conditions that invite more investment that will put Hoosiers to work for generations to come. The vision for what used to be called the expressway that now is the Mangus Memorial Highway is a result of decades of effort here in Indiana. I believe that it’s going to put not only Northern Indiana, but all of Indiana in a position to attract more investment, create more jobs and opportunities in addition to creating a safe and more accessible thoroughfare.”
Gov. Mike Pence, U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski and other dignitaries will be on hand for tomorrow’s ribbon cutting and dedication of the new U.S. 31 between Plymouth and South Bend. The ceremony will take place at 2:30 p.m. EDT on State Road 4 at the new U.S. 31 interchange. The road will be closed in that area from 12:30 until 3:30 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. During that time traffic will not be able to enter or exit the new section of highway. Continue reading
Expect traffic delays today as traffic shifts to the new U.S. 31 between South Bend and Plymouth.
INDOT crews will begin changing traffic to the new alignment of U.S. 31 after 9 a.m. ET. Traffic may be slowed or stopped as crews move barricades, barrels and other traffic control devices. To avoid delays, avoid access points for the new U.S. 31 until after 1 p.m. ET today.
Three interchanges will open today. Those interchanges are located at Kern Road in South Bend, State Road 4 in Lakeville and U.S. 6 in LaPaz. A fourth interchange will open once construction at 7th Road near Plymouth is finished later this year.
Access from multiple side roads to U.S. 31 in St. Joseph County will be limited through the end of the year. Indiana Department of transportation officials say the closures are necessary as the new U.S. 31 construction is tied in to the existing U.S. 31. Motorists can still access U.S. 31 by way of Main Street, Kern Road and Ireland Road. However, crews will shut down access to U.S. 31 from Jewell Avenue, Hildebrand Street, Yoder Street, Dice Street, Pulling Street, Gilmer Street, Pasadena Avenue Detroit Avenue, and Lucinda Street.
Lanes on U.S. 35/Pine Lake Avenue between State Road 39 and the bridge over the railroad in downtown LaPorte will be restricted for the next few nights so road repairs can be made. Work will begin around 6 each evening, according to a news release from INDOT. Crews will first prepare the pavement by grinding. Continue reading
Motorists who take State Road 23 through Walkerton will need to find a new route for the next few days. INDOT is closing the road between U.S. 30 and U.S. 6 to perform chip and fog sealing. The process preserves the road surface. INDOT officials stress the work is dependent on dry weather and may be delayed if conditions are not ideal. Southbound motorists can take U.S. 6 south to U.S. 35 and east to U.S. 30 to get around the closure. Northbound motorists can use the opposite route. Continue reading
A road in Starke County is closed due to damage. A large sinkhole has opened on State Road 23 a quarter-mile north of Toto Road. That’s just south of Ober. Barracades are set up in both directions. INDOT officials have not released a timetable of when the road would be opened. There’s also no word yet on what caused it to develop.
The Indiana Department of Transportation is seeking applicants for its Americans with Disabilities Act Community Advisory Working Group.
Inaugural members whose two-year terms expire at the end of June are encouraged to reapply. Potential new members also have a chance to apply. Membership is open to any individual, as INDOT wants representatives from a broad cross-section of the state. Individuals with disabilities, disability advocates or individuals who provide services to persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Motorists who travel through Walkerton on State Road 23 will need to find a new route for the next several weeks. Starting tomorrow, INDOT is closing 23 between Union Road and County Road 900 North, just south of Walkerton so crews can replace a small structure in the roadway. Southbound SR 23 drivers will be detoured west on U.S. 6, south on U.S. 35 and east on U.S. 30 to get back to 23. Northbound traffic will go west on 30, north on 35, east on 6 and back to 23 to bypass the construction. INDOT can only use state roads for detours. The project should be finished in mid-June, according to INDOT officials.
The railroad crossing between 19th Road and Illion Street in Tippecanoe will be closed Monday, May 5 through Friday, May 16. Norfolk Southern crews are repairing the crossing at that location in Marshall County.
To keep up with road closures and traffic alerts at any time, follow the Indiana Department of Transportation on Facebook, Twitter or at www.trafficwise.in.gov.
The Knox City Council approved a contract with INDOT to conduct street sweeping on U.S. 35. This is an annual contract where INDOT sweeps the highway twice a year at a cost of $1,444 per year for four years for a total of $5,766.
The council also approved a contract extension with Waste Management to continue garbage collection in the city for the next two years. The contract, which would begin Aug. 1, would be at a decreased rate of $13 per household and when the contract begins Aug. 1, 2015 the cost would increase to $13.36 per household. All other aspects of the previous contract would stay the same.
Motorists traveling between Knox and Winamac on U.S. 35 can avoid taking the long way around during the next few weeks of road work. INDOT has closed the highway from 850 S. to the Starke/Pulaski County line in order to replace a culvert. The state’s marked detour sends drivers west on 10, south on 39 and back east on 14 because INDOT can only use roads maintained by the state to divert traffic. Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler says drivers heading south on 35 can turn left on 800 S., right on 600 East and right on 900 S. to get past the construction and back to U.S. 35. Northbound motorists can follow that route in reverse. Ritzler says those roads are paved and are more suited to heavy traffic. He says several drivers have used 850 S. and 400 E. to get around the construction. Those roads are gravel and are becoming rutted. The project should wrap up by the end of the month, weather permitting.
