May 12, 2008

About This E-Newsletter

This is the first e-newsletter for updates on the New US 31 Hamilton County project. We hope you find it informative — if you do not want to receive further e-mails, please unsubscribe by clicking one of the links at the top or the bottom of the e-mail.

Project Overview

The New US 31 Hamilton County project will upgrade US 31 to freeway standards from I-465, at the Marion-Hamilton county line, through Carmel, to 216th St. in Westfield. The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is currently updating survey data to move forward with the corridor upgrade.

Surveying includes contractors walking the area, recording traffic volume on hand-held devices, taking photographs of the corridor and the buildings along it, digging holes for soil samples and delineating wetlands.

The Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision for the route selection are anticipated to be complete in late fall 2008. Construction is expected to begin in 2011. This project is part of the larger Major Moves initiative to upgrade the route to freeway standards from Indianapolis to South Bend.

Interchange Design Options Available Online

The design alternatives for all major intersections along the route are now available on the Web site. On the site, click the new Interchange Design Options button on the left side of the screen.

Also available on the Web site is a handout that explains the types of interchanges used by INDOT and the conditions when each one is the preferred alternative. The types of interchanges highlighted are diamond, cloverleaf, single-point urban, roundabout and system-to-system.

Among the criteria that determine the type of interchange for each location are how much land must be purchased; whether the road can go under or over the freeway; the interchange’s impact on side streets; the flow of traffic through the interchange; the incorporation of pedestrian walkways, aesthetics and design; and construction costs.

Purpose and Need of the Project

Transportation improvements to US 31 between I-465 and SR 38 are needed for the following reasons:

Traffic Congestion and Capacity Needs

• For the base year 2000, seven of 15 (47 percent) intersections operate at a Level of Service (LOS) E or F during the morning and/or afternoon peak hours. (LOS D is minimally acceptable based on INDOT’s current standards.)
• By 2035, without any improvements, 15 out of 15 intersections are projected to operate at LOS E or F during the morning and/or afternoon peak hours.

Safety

• Six of 10 roadway segments on US 31 have crash rates greater than the statewide average for similar facilities.
• Seven of the 10 roadway segments on US 31 have injury crash rates greater than the statewide average for similar facilities.

Project Purpose Statement

Based on the transportation needs listed, the purpose of the US 31 Improvement Project is to:

• Reduce congestion for the US 31 corridor by improving to LOS D or better.
• Improve the level of safety for motorists using the US 31 corridor.
• Provide for the reliable and efficient movement of commerce and regional travel.

Community Advisory Committee Underway

The New US 31 Hamilton County Community Advisory Committee (CAC), which is comprised of 26 local residents and community leaders, has met four times recently to discuss the project’s status. Meeting summaries are posted on the Web site within two weeks of each meeting. To read summaries of past meetings, please visit our Web site.

Traffic Analysis Data

To design the best freeway possible, engineers must have current traffic data. This includes not only how many vehicles travel US 31 daily, but also what their travel patterns are and where traffic tends to back up throughout the day.

Using hand-held devices, contractors have been positioned at various intersections or alongside mainline US 31. The traffic analysis report is in the process of being completed and will be part of the Final Environmental Impact Statement.
 

Noise Impacts

The New US 31 Hamilton County project will re-visit the noise analysis that was orginally conducted in 2003. The noise analysis will consider many factors, including the volume of traffic, speed of traffic and number of trucks. Noise abatement will be considered using the INDOT Traffic Noise Policy (January 2007), which has established general criteria for the determination of feasibility and reasonableness of noise abatement. To see the general criteria standards of what is considered to be reasonable and feasible in regard to noise impact, please see the State's Noise Policy.

Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS)

CSS integrates the community and land (context) through which highways travel into the transportation planning process. The goal of CSS in transportation projects is to create or maintain a balance of mobility and safety with other concerns, such as historic preservation, environmental conservation and public involvement.

Why CSS? The CSS process provides a channel for community members to speak about what’s important to them in their area. Examples might include pedestrian walkways from one side of the freeway to another or architectural considerations in bridge design. For the New US 31 Hamilton County project, INDOT will strive to incorporate some elements of CSS into design while keeping the investment of public funds as low as possible.

While CSS encourages public participation in the transportation planning process, it doesn’t require that INDOT or the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) follow all of the public’s suggestions. When making decisions about design, INDOT and FHWA will continue to focus on the safest option that still meets the purpose and need for the project.

We’d Like to Hear From You

The project team is committed to keeping residents and business owners in Hamilton County informed about this project. If there are subjects you’d like to hear more about, please contact the outreach team through Pankaj Desai at pdesai@indot.in.gov, (317) 232-5214, or Jennifer Dzwonar at jennifer.dzwonar@borshoff.biz, (317) 631-6400.