34th And 46th Street Bridge Bids RejectedIt is inevitable that snags will happen to expand I-465 into a bustling 10 lane interstate. INDOT was forced to reject the April 18 bids for the widening of 34th Street bridge and 46th bridge as part of the initial construction start of the Accelerate I-465 project because the bids exceeded the state’s estimated construction cost. The project will require a new bidding process. Louis Faggans of INDOT doesn’t expect this delay to effect the 2008 target date to start widening I- 465 from 56th Street to I-70. He said the bid opening to widen 38th Street bridge is scheduled for May 16th. The road will be reduced to one lane during the construction phase. Another bridge replacement that is not scheduled until 2008 is the 21st Street Bridge. INDOT has hosted multiple public meetings to apprise the public of this five-year project that will end in 2012. The meetings discussed a range of issues from home buyouts to noise mitigation. Some homes involved in the buyout program included Hardin Boulevard south of Rockville Road on the east side of Washington Street. Will Wingfield, INDOT Public Information Officer, explained the last home on Hardin Boulevard was demolished May 8. He noted the demolition was expedited due to burglaries of the state-owned vacant homes. Demolition projects will continue to be part of the project. Three of the ten homes on Lupine Drive are scheduled for demolition next month. The addresses are 3028, 3046, and 3052. The next contract for bids to demolish the remaining seven homes should be read by September. These homes were in the state’s buyout program in order to construct a retention/ detention pond to handle the highway’s drainage. The reconfiguration of I-465 at Exit 14-A in Speedway will take out half the Red Roof Inn Motel and two buildings of the West Wind Terrace. Faggans noted Red Roof Inn is aware of the interchange design, but buyout negotiations are still in the process with both corporations. This interchange’s construction is scheduled to begin in 2010 and finish by 2012. With the additional traffic, INDOT will provide noise barriers to absorb the increased decibels generated from the road. Noise barriers will extend from Washington Street to 56th Street. The walls are compromised of wood chips and concrete with a waffle pattern to absorb the sound. Other features of the I-465 expansion include preserving the B & O Trail corridor by making a pedestrian tunnel under the highway. The B & O Trail Corridor is part of the Indy Greenways Master Plan to extend a 62-mile proposed trail from 10th and Tibbs Avenue to Montezuma, Indiana. INDOT is also making a new pedestrian trail that parallels US 136 that will connect to the Eagle Creek Trail. This path is off to the south side of US 136 as it makes the curve heading into Speedway. Technology will also play a pivotal role with moving future traffic on I-465 by the inclusion of an Intelligent Traffic System. A camera system will observe traffic and provide information to drivers through a Traffic Management Center. The center will relay the information about accidents and delays through signboards located on the highway. |
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