IN US 31 Kokomo Bypass Upgrade Report

[monty]

I went up to the Markland exit today.  The signs on the main route are okay up to the overpass, where I tuned off.  Down the exit ramp, they were messed up.  Tornado went right over the top of US 31 at the interchange.

[mukade]

I went up to the Markland exit today.  The signs on the main route are okay up to the overpass, where I tuned off.  Down the exit ramp, they were messed up.  Tornado went right over the top of US 31 at the interchange.

I thought I saw one of the SR 26 BGSs on southbound US 31 was obliterated. Also one of the blue services signs going southbound right at the Markland Ave. interchange was gone. Finally, half of the "South US 31 Indianapolis" sign (on the cantilever) on Markland Ave is gone. There is debris along the side in at least two places and you can see damaged buildings and flattened crops from the road.

At least the SR 26 sign was victimized by a tornado this time instead of a light breeze.

I drove into Kokomo proper today, and damage in town is much worse than i thought it would be. It is amazing that the same subdivision and many of the same houses that were damaged or destroyed in 2013 had the same fate this week. In other areas, a lot of damage occurred across the street from buildings that were heavily damaged in the 2013 tornado. A lot of streets are blocked by State Police cars so you cannot even see much of the damage.

[monty]

I went back to Kokomo this evening. I too saw the SR 26 sign down approaching the southbound exit. There was a second tornado in that area and I saw some other evidence of it near SR26  There were 5 or 6 different funnel cloud / tornados in the Kokomo vicinity over the course of seven hours. The F3 twister was a big one.  It went at least six miles on the ground to the east of US 31.  Quite fortunate there were no serious injuries. So ironic that this one was just one block further north than the Nov 2013 event.

[monty]

I have observed that there are fresh survey stakes on US 31 between the Kokomo freeway and the Tipton / SR 28 interchange and I think also down to the SR 38 interchange.  Essentially the "un-upgraded portions of US 31 south of Kokomo to Indy metro. Anybody know what kind of a project or purpose they are for?

[silverback1065]

I have observed that there are fresh survey stakes on US 31 between the Kokomo freeway and the Tipton / SR 28 interchange and I think also down to the SR 38 interchange.  Essentially the "un-upgraded portions of US 31 south of Kokomo to Indy metro. Anybody know what kind of a project or purpose they are for?

The only project I know of that's in the works right now is building a bridge over the RR tracks and Division Rd.  If it's going out that far, it could be something simple like a resurfacing job (Yes they even survey those sometimes)

[silverback1065]

how is the 28 interchange coming along?

[mukade]

I have observed that there are fresh survey stakes on US 31 between the Kokomo freeway and the Tipton / SR 28 interchange and I think also down to the SR 38 interchange.  Essentially the "un-upgraded portions of US 31 south of Kokomo to Indy metro. Anybody know what kind of a project or purpose they are for?

The only project I know of that's in the works right now is building a bridge over the RR tracks and Division Rd.  If it's going out that far, it could be something simple like a resurfacing job (Yes they even survey those sometimes)

These do not look like the normal resurfacing project survey stakes that you see in the median. These seem to alternate between the right and left sides and there are some fluorescent paint markings on the pavement at the stakes. I have no idea what they are for.

One thing INDOT could do is to buy properties that have driveway access to US 31 as they hit the market and then demolish them. I know they did that (to some extent) on one other road where an upgrade was planned.

As for tornado damage news, I counted four large signs gone/destroyed and one damaged on and around US 31. Two appear to be blue services signs right at Markland Ave. (SR 22 exit), one is a directional sign on the southbound ramp to Markland Ave., and the other is the one on the southbound side approaching SR 26.

how is the 28 interchange coming along?

Last I saw, the overpass beams were up and quite a bit of the earth moving has been done. It seeems to be on track for a late fall opening.

[2trailertrucker]

how is the 28 interchange coming along?

I drove up to South Bend last week at 2 in the morning. I noticed the transmission plant go right by me! No light on 31 at SR 28!!

I did notice a very long detour for those going on 28 from 31. Anyone know what the routing is in that?

[silverback1065]

how is the 28 interchange coming along?

I drove up to South Bend last week at 2 in the morning. I noticed the transmission plant go right by me! No light on 31 at SR 28!!

I did notice a very long detour for those going on 28 from 31. Anyone know what the routing is in that?

State highway detours are usually awful because the detours are always using the nearest other state roads in the area.

[monty]

I did notice a very long detour for those going on 28 from 31. Anyone know what the routing is in that?
The SR 28 detour is on SR 19 north from Tipton to SR 26 and back west to US 31.  Most folks are using Division Road.

[monty]

Survey stakes are just between SR 28 interchange and SR 931 interchange.

[silverback1065]

Survey stakes are just between SR 28 interchange and SR 931 interchange.

Then it might be the 2 bridges they want to build at division and the RR tracks

[monty]

That's about a seven mile distance between those interchanges.

[monty]

Actually, it's over eight miles from SR 28 to SR 931. The RR bridge will be only about a mile from 28, so I think maybe they're looking at more than just the new bridges.  Could be just a paving job I guess. Of course I'd prefer a freeway upgrade.

[monty]

The SR 28 interchange is coming along nicely.  Asphalt is being laid now.  I still haven't determined the purpose of the survey between SR 28 and the Kokomo freeway segment in Tipton County (SR 28 to SR 931).

[ysuindy]

Aerial view (drone I presume) of the SR 28 interchange with 31.

Link is to a Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/derek.crownover/videos/pcb.10157580238565526/10157580230915526/?type=3&theater

[monty]

Today's Kokomo Tribune ran an article stating that the project is on schedule to be open by Thanksgiving - with the traditional caveat of "weather pending."  The INDOT publicity spokesman also stated that the RR bridge was "next" and hinted at more to come by stating the projects were part of an INDOT goal of a "stopless US31."  I read into this as J turns are coming to the remaining few stoplights on the Indy to South Bend corridor. I hope they are only interim solutions to a full freeway upgrade.

[amroad17]

Is it becoming more common that there must be roundabouts at interchanges?

[tdindy88]

I'm guessing the roundabouts are a carryover from the Hamilton County portion of US 31. Since this is the Kokomo Bypass thread, I would wager a guess that if that bypass would be built now the exits at SR 26, South Blvd and Touhy Pike (and maybe even SR 22 and US 35 north exits too) would have probably been turned into roundabout interchanges.

It is an interesting development to hear about the J-turn intersection proposals. In my opinion, the intersection of US 31 and 236th Street should be the next developed exit, the other intersections could get the J-turn proposal, but that's just me. Oh, and that bridge over the railroad tracks.

[hbelkins]

I'm guessing the roundabouts are a carryover from the Hamilton County portion of US 31. Since this is the Kokomo Bypass thread, I would wager a guess that if that bypass would be built now the exits at SR 26, South Blvd and Touhy Pike (and maybe even SR 22 and US 35 north exits too) would have probably been turned into roundabout interchanges.

It is an interesting development to hear about the J-turn intersection proposals. In my opinion, the intersection of US 31 and 236th Street should be the next developed exit, the other intersections could get the J-turn proposal, but that's just me. Oh, and that bridge over the railroad tracks.

J-turns are becoming much more popular in a lot of states. Even in places with wide medians and plenty of storage for vehicles to cross two lanes, stop in the median and then proceed across the next two lanes or turn left, they're being utilized. I saw a presentation at TransComm on how one's being worked on for US 61 in Missouri. And there are a bunch on US 301 on the peninsula in Maryland.

[mukade]

Today's Kokomo Tribune ran an article stating that the project is on schedule to be open by Thanksgiving - with the traditional caveat of "weather pending."  The INDOT publicity spokesman also stated that the RR bridge was "next" and hinted at more to come by stating the projects were part of an INDOT goal of a "stopless US31."  I read into this as J turns are coming to the remaining few stoplights on the Indy to South Bend corridor. I hope they are only interim solutions to a full freeway upgrade.

They need to start getting rid of some of those driveways in Tipton County as well. Becoming a high speed highway with no traffic lights for 150 miles will mean that school buses stopping at these houses will have more danger than on the stop and go road it is today.

I agree putting at interchange at 236th Street should be the next bigger project, but it would be nice to see one new interchange in Miami County (probably SR 18).

[silverback1065]

Is it becoming more common that there must be roundabouts at interchanges?

it's indot's new policy to always investigate alternative intersection designs first. that's why you are seeing more double reverses, roundabouts, SPUIs, and j-turns.

[hbelkins]

Said it elsewhere many times, but will say it again. After having driven US 31 from Indy to South Bend today, I state for the record that upgrading the route to a full freeway is a total and complete waste of money. There are probably fewer than 10 traffic lights along the route, traffic flows very well, and there wasn't much traffic at all north of Kokomo.

[monty]

SR 28 interchange at Tipton will open Tuesday Nov 22. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/INDOT/bulletins/1740a7d

[tdindy88]

I traveled up to Kokomo this morning and got to see the new exit at SR 28. I still think the roundabout design, especially on the eastern half is a little weird, as it can be easy to confuse which way you're coming in but I guess time will tell whether or not people understand it all. Going east from SR 28 onto US 31 north for instance, you have to get it just right to go north onto the freeway and not accidentally turn into the parking lot for the Chrysler plant.





Still, traffic wasn't too bad at the exit and driving through there was nice. But I then had to stop for nearly two minutes at Division Road for a car that had already turned north onto US 31. Now I see where those bridge plans are a good idea.

On one other note, I saw that SR 28 is indeed signed Exit 148. If we are going to go ahead and number the exits that aren't directed to individual freeway segments, then why not just give the other two remaining exits their numbers as well. Based on INDOT's Interchange Book, US 24 would then be Exit 191 A-B and SR 25 would be Exit 212. Just a thought.