SRC Transportation Study CompletedThe Speedway Transportation Plan, as revealed in a February 19th power point presentation, leaned toward favoring the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Allison Transmission and Marathon Ashland’s transportation and economic needs. It is a study that suggests significant changes in the transportation flow in the name of public safety and economic vitality. Regardless of the reasons given for the route changes at the Speedway Redevelopment Commission meeting, it will be the residents and small business owners that ultimately bear any burden of loss in hopes the improvements will pay out dividends in the form of higher taxes revenues, economic revitalization and more growth. The SRC hired HNTB Engineer John Myers almost a year ago to conduct a study to improve economic revitalization in Speedway with the Speed Zone Redevelopment Area to be the core of the study. The nine-month process involved reviewing traffic counts, regional plans, and pedestrian plans as well as interviewing over 20 stakeholders. Myers gave the highlights of the report along with recommendations to improve traffic mobility, spur economic growth and provide for public safety in the area. The proposed changes would mean changing the nostalgia of driving by the IMS grandstands along 16th Street and Georgetown Road. Myers admitted he enjoys driving by the track with the view of the grandstands so close. Myers called vacating Georgetown Road and 16th Street an emotional loss. “It is very very painful not to have the street border the grandstands,” he said. The times are changing where we live in a more threatening environment. Interviews with the Speedway Public Safety Committee, Speedway Police Department and IMS boldly recommended the road moves. Pedestrian safety is paramount. “It is scary to see all of the people jammed and personally witness the crowd congestion and traffic by attending the race,” he said. The Speedway Public Safety Committee recommended a 1,000 foot buffer surrounding the IMS. This would mean vacating Georgetown Road between 16th and 25th Street and moving 16th Street along the abandon Conrail Railroad corridor that parallels Crawfordsville Road and extends east. The Georgetown Road closure would route traffic onto 25th Street to link with the other north-south connector of Lynhurst Road. This corridor would also be expanded into four lanes by taking a road cut through the field at 26th Street to link with Moller Road. Myers said this has been part of the City of Indianapolis’s Thoroughfare Plan for the last 25 years. This plan did raise a concern from one resident. Helen Kellam voiced her concerned that more traffic would be pushed into a residential area and school zone. This would drive much of the Coca-Cola truck traffic onto 25th Street. Several years ago, residents blocked Coca-Cola’s request to the town council to use the 25th Street entrance for truck traffic. Myers said details are not fully worked out. At this time, no traffic simulation model has been conducted to study the impact of these road designs to the Westside. Myers emphasized the closure of Georgetown Road would not happen until Holt Road was connected to Guion Road to provide another north-south connector to the Westside. Myers speculates that traffic on the west side of the IMS would reduce as Holt Road becomes the major north-south connector. The Holt Road route will allow traffic to connect to I-65. The road expansion would also provide additional safety for the tankers using Olin Road to enter and exit Marathon. Myers also interviewed Allison Transmission. This largest local employer received the OK for its request to close Grande Avenue despite the wishes of the businesses owners on Gasoline Alley. The road closure would allow Allison to create efficiencies by not having the site split by the road. The recommendation also involved realigning Tenth Street north of the parking lot at the northwest corner of Polco Street, so employees do not have to cross the street. According to Myers, realigning Tenth Street is cheaper than building a parking garage with a cross over to provide pedestrian safety. Other recommendations called for intersection improvements at Cossell Road and Tenth Street and Cunningham Road and Crawfordsville Road. The intersections would receive additional left turn lanes to improve traffic flow. Myers did not want to commit to a time line because of all of the assumptions that would need to be made to complete the multiple projects. “The plans still need to be presented to the City of Indianapolis and Metropolitan Planning Organization. We don’t know how they’ll react to these plans. It would be logical to seek federal funding to help pay for these projects. This would require environmental studies. This is not the first time a major road improvement has been proposed. Ten years ago the Hulman Memorial Way Foundation conducted a preliminary study to develop a roundabout at Crawfordsville Road and 16th to provide traffic relief as well as create a visual appeal. Mike Smith of Hulman Memorial Way Foundation said the conceptual plans were impressive, but the project remained at the conceptual stage because of the physical challenges to move the underground infrastructure. “It was quite involved,” he said. The new recommendation requires aligning Main Street intersection with Crawfordsville Road and 16th Street to provide more visibility to Main Street. The new alignment should drive traffic down Main Street. “This is not set in stone,” SRC President Scott Harris said. It is study that would require additional studies “We don’t have money,” Harris said. Yet, he recognized that Speedway has to be the driving force so other governmental agencies will fund the project. |
|