Indiana Notes

[ITB]

The interchange with SR 39 is a diverging diamond with four total lanes with the bridges built in ... 2022. How will five lanes fit in this scenario?

They'll probably widen one of the overpasses, the east being more likely, and expand the corresponding approaches — though we won't know for sure until a schematic is released.

And is SR 267... Quaker Blvd? 

Yes, it is.

[Interstate 69 Fan]

INDOT has issued a Draft RFP for an I-70 mainline project between SR 39 and SR 267. More specifically, the project will involve the widening of I-70 to three lanes in each direction from 0.76 mile west of SR 39 to SR 267, the widening of the SR 39 bridge to five lanes, as well as other bridge rehabilitation, culvert and shoulder work. The added lanes will be carved from the median.

The interchange with SR 39 is a diverging diamond with four total lanes with the bridges built in ... 2022. How will five lanes fit in this scenario?

And is SR 267... Quaker Blvd? 

Yup. SR 267 has been Quaker Blvd for a few years now, and is now under responsibility from Plainfield. I drive it right over I-70 daily to/from work, and that interchange desperately needs reconfiguring.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.in.gov/indot/files/s.r.-2-and-quince-rd-intersection-improvement-project-des-2401535/

S.R. 2 and Quince Rd Intersection Improvement Project (Des 2401535)

INDOT is pursuing an intersection improvement project at State Road 2 and Quince Rd in St. Joseph County. The need for the project stems from the current high severity and frequency of crashes at this signalized intersection. This project seeks to improve the safety of the intersection and reduce the severity and frequency of crashes.

INDOT has implemented improvements at this intersection over the years to address safety concerns.



An intersection improvement project will provide greater long-term safety benefits at this intersection. A public meeting will be held soon to discuss where INDOT is in the project development process and to gather feedback on the two primary alternatives currently under consideration: a roundabout or a Reduced Conflict Intersection (RCI).

[JREwing78]

https://www.in.gov/indot/files/s.r.-2-and-quince-rd-intersection-improvement-project-des-2401535/

S.R. 2 and Quince Rd Intersection Improvement Project (Des 2401535)

With the massive buildout of the area arond New Carlisle towards the International (Bendix) Proving Grounds, SR 2 is doubtless seeing more traffic now, particularly truck traffic.

Two schools of thought on how to address this:
- SR 2 needs to be converted to a fully limited-access freeway tying into the US-20/31 bypass (making a super-street arrangement with periodic J-turns practical until the next step to freeway is taken
- Traffic calming is needed for the Westfield neighborhood to improve safety (in other words, build a roundabout)

Drawing lines on a map, our choices are to basically punch through Westfield with a new 2 1/2 mile freeway on alignment or immediately parallel to the existing SR 2, or to build a 4-8 mile bypass and convert the existing SR 2 to a more urban boulevard arrangement. It would eat mostly residences until Ritchland Ave, at which point it's commercial or light industrial. 

And then you have the jokers in the deck - the St. Joseph Cemetery and the Sacred Heart Cemetery, right up against SR 2 with no room at all to widen. InDOT would either have to move hundreds of gravesites or build a 1/2 mile double-decker bridge to move traffic past this point.

I also found a path about 1000 ft north of the current SR 2 alignment one could pull a freeway through; it would take homes but no industrial or cemetery property. It would require modifying the current SR-2 interchange, but would allow the current SR 2 alignment to remain intact. But InDOT would need to buy up the property along that path before further development takes it, and it would render the Super-Street modifications moot.

Unless the court of public opinion suddenly decides freeways > cemeteries, the smarter move would be for InDOT to build a roundabout at Quince Rd, v.s. trying to punch a freeway through Westfield.

Nothing here to suggest InDOT couldn't build a limited-access 4-lane outerbelt tying the Toll Rd to the US-20/31 bypass, and ultimately extended north to US-12 in Michigan. 

[NWI_Irish96]

https://www.in.gov/indot/files/s.r.-2-and-quince-rd-intersection-improvement-project-des-2401535/

S.R. 2 and Quince Rd Intersection Improvement Project (Des 2401535)

With the massive buildout of the area arond New Carlisle towards the International (Bendix) Proving Grounds, SR 2 is doubtless seeing more traffic now, particularly truck traffic.

Two schools of thought on how to address this:
- SR 2 needs to be converted to a fully limited-access freeway tying into the US-20/31 bypass (making a super-street arrangement with periodic J-turns practical until the next step to freeway is taken
- Traffic calming is needed for the Westfield neighborhood to improve safety (in other words, build a roundabout)

INDOT is barred from building/converting E/W roads to freeway that close to the toll road.

[JREwing78]

https://www.in.gov/indot/files/s.r.-2-and-quince-rd-intersection-improvement-project-des-2401535/

S.R. 2 and Quince Rd Intersection Improvement Project (Des 2401535)

With the massive buildout of the area arond New Carlisle towards the International (Bendix) Proving Grounds, SR 2 is doubtless seeing more traffic now, particularly truck traffic.

Two schools of thought on how to address this:
- SR 2 needs to be converted to a fully limited-access freeway tying into the US-20/31 bypass (making a super-street arrangement with periodic J-turns practical until the next step to freeway is taken
- Traffic calming is needed for the Westfield neighborhood to improve safety (in other words, build a roundabout)

INDOT is barred from building/converting E/W roads to freeway that close to the toll road.

I'm sure that the current ITR lessees can be brought to the table if they don't have to cough up the cost of a whole new interchange or access road. This isn't a situation where the Toll Road is going to lose traffic or revenue.

[NWI_Irish96]

https://www.in.gov/indot/files/s.r.-2-and-quince-rd-intersection-improvement-project-des-2401535/

S.R. 2 and Quince Rd Intersection Improvement Project (Des 2401535)

With the massive buildout of the area arond New Carlisle towards the International (Bendix) Proving Grounds, SR 2 is doubtless seeing more traffic now, particularly truck traffic.

Two schools of thought on how to address this:
- SR 2 needs to be converted to a fully limited-access freeway tying into the US-20/31 bypass (making a super-street arrangement with periodic J-turns practical until the next step to freeway is taken
- Traffic calming is needed for the Westfield neighborhood to improve safety (in other words, build a roundabout)

INDOT is barred from building/converting E/W roads to freeway that close to the toll road.

I'm sure that the current ITR lessees can be brought to the table if they don't have to cough up the cost of a whole new interchange or access road. This isn't a situation where the Toll Road is going to lose traffic or revenue.

Hindsight is 20/20, but St Joe County should have made Amazon pay to upgrade/build a 4 lane road from IN 2 up to the Toll Road.

[Great Lakes Roads]

INDOT has added green .2-mile enhanced mile-markers on the freeway segment of US 20 in St. Joesph County (La Porte district). It goes all the way up to MM 87, which is west of the Elkhart County line.