Indiana Notes

[TempoNick]

Another article about the state of Indiana taking back meridian Street: https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2024/04/04/meridian-street-makeover-historic-district

[jnewkirk77]

Another article about the state of Indiana taking back meridian Street: https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2024/04/04/meridian-street-makeover-historic-district

"It is a historically significant portion of our city," said Joseph Lese, member of the Meridian-Kessler Neighborhood Association. "It's odd to me that it was a state road to begin with. Maybe back in the day when we didn't have a highway system that was fine but we've grown up as a city."

Uhhhh ... what?

[silverback1065]

Another article about the state of Indiana taking back meridian Street: https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2024/04/04/meridian-street-makeover-historic-district

"It is a historically significant portion of our city," said Joseph Lese, member of the Meridian-Kessler Neighborhood Association. "It's odd to me that it was a state road to begin with. Maybe back in the day when we didn't have a highway system that was fine but we've grown up as a city."

Uhhhh ... what?

ya that's a non sequitur   

In all seriousness the state will not take over these roads, the only people who are interested in this are a few people in the legislature (like 3) thinking of pie in the sky ideas to solve a problem in road funding.

[Great Lakes Roads]

Letting for May 9, 2024 for the sign replacement project on "The Bypass" (US 20/31) in St. Joseph County.

Contract T -45440-A SIGN MODERNIZATION
Project Control No. 2001650
Federal/State No. 2001650

Location SIGN MODERNIZATION ST. JOSEPH COUNTY - ON US 20 AND US 31 AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS (RP 257+0053 TO 084+0079)

Completion date: August 31, 2025

(Yes, that does include adding exit numbers!)

[74/171FAN]

Letting for May 9, 2024 for the sign replacement project on "The Bypass" (US 20/31) in St. Joseph County.

Contract T -45440-A SIGN MODERNIZATION
Project Control No. 2001650
Federal/State No. 2001650

Location SIGN MODERNIZATION ST. JOSEPH COUNTY - ON US 20 AND US 31 AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS (RP 257+0053 TO 084+0079)

Completion date: August 31, 2025

(Yes, that does include adding exit numbers!)

For US 20, US 31, or both??

[NWI_Irish96]

Letting for May 9, 2024 for the sign replacement project on "The Bypass" (US 20/31) in St. Joseph County.

Contract T -45440-A SIGN MODERNIZATION
Project Control No. 2001650
Federal/State No. 2001650

Location SIGN MODERNIZATION ST. JOSEPH COUNTY - ON US 20 AND US 31 AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS (RP 257+0053 TO 084+0079)

Completion date: August 31, 2025

(Yes, that does include adding exit numbers!)

For US 20, US 31, or both??

It looks like both, as 257 would be a US 31 mile marker and 84 would be a US 20 mile marker.

[jnewkirk77]

The drawings show all of the US 31 signage crossed out. I don't know if that's on a separate letting, but they're not included in the ones for US 20.

[ITB]

INDOT has had another fail trying to award a major construction contract. Yesterday the bids were opened for the reconstruction and widening of I-70 in Wayne County. Two bids were received from: (1) a Walsh/Crider & Crider joint venture, and (2) a Milestone Constructors/E & B Paving joint venture.

Although the Walsh/Crider JV's $409,125,904.12 bid was slightly lower than Milesone/E & B Paving's $412,696,441.00, both bids were officially rejected April 18th due to being over the engineer's estimate.

This is now the second time recently INDOT has been unable to award a large contract due to bids being over the engineer's estimate. The first was for the reconstruction and widening of I-65 in Scott County. Something is not quite right here. Construction costs have gone up significantly over the past two and three years. The bids for the I-70 project came from experienced firms, and the bids were relatively close to each other. INDOT needs to take a hard look at its cost estimating process. Maybe a third party should be brought in to validate the official estimates for contracts $100 million and above. For every month that passes, these large projects will only get more expensive to bring to fruition.


Indiana Department of Transportation