By PAULENE POPARAD
Local cities and towns will have a say on projects proposed in the state’s
$31 billion long-range highway improvement plan, an Indiana Department of
Transportation official assured Wednesday.
Porter County Highway Engineer David Schelling questioned on what basis
INDOT’s plan calls for Indiana 49 between the Indiana Toll Road and
Interstate 94 to go from four to six lanes in 2009 at a cost of $14 million.
INDOT planning assistant Don Houterloot told Schelling a computer modeling
program identified that area for likely future congestion and being in need
of upgrading. “If you do not concur with (the modeled projects,) they’ll
probably be taken out of the plan,” said Houterloot, adding that
less-extensive improvements could be made in an area to address congestion.
After the meeting, Houterloot said the same local input would be solicited
by INDOT for a proposed $7.4 million new interchange at Indiana 49 and
Indian Boundary Road in Chesterton to be built in 2007. The town would be
consulted and involved during design hearings. Chesterton officials support
the Indian Boundary interchange.
State transportation officials are proposing more than $1.4 billion in
highway improvements in northwest Indiana alone through 2025, but that was
before Indiana’s revenue forecasts took a nose dive.
Wednesday’s hearing took place at the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning
Commission, which must approve area INDOT projects for programming and
federal funding. NIRPC transportation planner Steve Strains cited the
possibility of those federal dollars decreasing rather than increasing in
2003-2012.
“You’re right,” said Roy Nunnally, INDOT development specialist. “It might
be the state doesn’t have enough to do expansion projects; we might just
have enough for preservation projects, like repaving.”
Strains also said there are some significant differences between NIRPC’s
identified long-range transportation projects and those proposed by INDOT
and he suggested the two agencies meet to discuss them.
Houterloot said that a proposed northwest Indiana south suburban/Illiana
Expressway is included in the state’s long-range plan although a route isn’t
identified at this time due to uncertainty over its potential alignment. The
rural expressway is seen as an alternative to the overcrowded Borman
Expressway.
Houterloot said INDOT’s philosophy is to do a project right the first time
so the same section of highway doesn’t have to be torn up two and three
times. “So INDOT’s going to overbuild now?” asked NIRPC staffer Belinda
Petrosky.
Houterloot said no. INDOT will implement changes and improvements to
facilitate traffic flow, he explained, but when it comes to a major road
project, “We attempt not to visit the area several times.”
Wednesday’s hearing was one of 12 statewide to present the 2025 plan, on
which public comment ends late this month. Revisions will be made and
revenue forecasts updated before a final draft is prepared. Final adoption
is eyed early next year.
The plan, detailed maps and project listings can be viewed at INDOT’s
website:
www.IN.gov/dot/publications/longrange
Rail/bus transit and aviation components will be added
in the future.
The plan was based on forecasted socio-economic growth showing over the
2000-2025 period, statewide population is projected to increase 17 percent,
and statewide employment to increase 30 percent. Travel demand is estimated
to increase much more rapidly at 62 percent.
A full-needs scenario identified 1,074 miles of added travel lanes as needed
to decrease traffic congestion and keep highway system performance (as
measured by operating speeds) stable.
The no-build scenario increased congestion from 4 percent of highway mileage
in 2000 to 25 percent in 2025. Urban-interstate speed also would decrease by
25 percent, and overall system performance would decrease 10 percent from 53
mph in 2000 to 48 mph in 2025.
Nunnally stressed that the plan now under review is a draft. “That means
everything can change. Nothing is concrete.”
Posted 11/8/2001
