The post INDOT unveils ‘Green Light’ safety program for work zones appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW — Malfunctioning traffic signals that apparently began on Monday at the intersection of US 30 and Center Street in Warsaw were still continuing on Thursday morning, and the city issued a statement saying they were unsure when it would be resolved.

The signal outage is causing significant traffic delays in the area, and the city is encouraging motorists to plan alternate routes and allow for additional travel time while the signal is being repaired.

Eastbound traffic was backed up this morning as far back as Depuy Synthes, said one motorist.

The city said INDOT has crews on-site trying to restore the signal, adding that "However, at this time, there is no estimated time of completion."

The post Traffic signal disruptions continue at US 30 and Center Street intersection appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

The number of nixed road and bridge plans is rising, the Indiana Department of Transportation told state lawmakers on Monday, citing “funding constraints.”

“We’ve continued to cancel projects. They’ve continued to have to be postponed,” Legislative Director Aaron Wainscott said.

INDOT reported hitting the brakes on 300 projects this time last year.

“I don’t have a specific number, but I can tell you for sure that number has continued to increase over the last 12 months,” Wainscott told the House’s Roads and Transportation Committee.

“It probably wouldn’t be real hard to get that number,” replied Committee Chair Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie, who also requested the dollar amount associated with those projects.

Priority initiatives have been among those trimmed, per Wainscott.

INDOT had planned a “major” interchange improvement project northwest of Indianapolis, near Whitestown. But “due to funding constraints, we’ve had to break that into about three different projects that are going to be carried out at different times,” he said, instead of all at once.

Another priority project, which could cost $1 billion to build, took some heat.

The Mid-States Corridor is intended to better link State Road 66 to Interstate 69 in southern Indiana, according to its dedicated website. INDOT is still working on environmental review but plans to begin construction next year, Wainscott said, prompting disbelief from Pressel.

“We canceled over 300 projects in the last year and a half, but we’re going to spend a billion dollars on a brand-new roadway,” Pressel said. “… I’m not — I’m not getting it. … I’m really looking for some guidance on how we’re doing this, but yet we’re killing other projects.”

INDOT has eyed tolling as a potential revenue generator.

U.S. law generally bans user fees on federal-aid highways, including those that make up the Interstate Highway System. There are exceptions: two “mainstream” programs, which don’t require any state-federal tolling deal, and two application-only, limited-slot pilot programs.

Wainscott confirmed INDOT submitted a tolling application late last year to the Federal Highway Administration specifically for Interstate 70, but didn’t provide it to committee lawmakers or the Capital Chronicle.

“I’m not sure if it’s necessarily public, publicly displayed. That would not be up to me to make that decision,” he told Rep. Carey Hamilton, D-Indianapolis.

“Well, I’m officially requesting it,” she responded.

Wainscott also said INDOT has received “good feedback” on the application but noted the agency doesn’t know how long approval will take.

Gov. Mike Braun has said that he wants to capture dollars from out-of-state vehicles traveling through Indiana that don’t fill up at the gas pump.

The federal highway department previously referred the Capital Chronicle to INDOT regarding the application but didn’t say why it couldn’t disclose a copy.

Wainscott additionally reviewed early results from a highway construction speed enforcement pilot — reporting that “excessive” speeding of 11 miles per hour over the speed limit or more has dropped by 70% in camera-enforced zones. Ticket revenue goes to the state’s General Fund, not INDOT.

* * *

The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

The post INDOT cancels, postpones road and bridge projects appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW — Kosciusko Area Bus Service (KABS) is creating a new deviated fixed bus route system and is seeking public input.

To allow the community to learn more and provide feedback, KABS will host a public forum from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, at the Warsaw Community Public Library.

KABS has partnered with the Michiana Area Council of Governments and the Indiana
Department of Transportation to develop a new bus route system in and around the city of
Warsaw.

The new system will be in addition to the current on-demand service which will still be available in the city and throughout the county.

The new route will operate on a fixed schedule but can deviate up to two times per hour within a half-mile radius to accommodate passengers with mobility challenges or those in low-density areas. While high-traffic stops are already identified, KABS seeks input from the community on stops of high value to them. The forum will also provide an opportunity to learn about the system and offer feedback to ensure it meets community needs.

According to KABS General Manager Kristin Rude, “We have been researching ways to
improve transportation services to our community and believe a deviated fixed route is one way to do this.”

Rude added that she hopes riders and other community members will attend the forum to learn about the new system but also to offer their input on proposed fixed stops and voice any concerns or questions they may have.

KABS will be available to provide rides to and from the meeting. To schedule a ride, call KABS dispatch at 574.267.4990.

The post KABS announces public forum to discuss new route system appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw

WARSAW — The willingness of Steel Dynamics to pony up a significant amount of money for intersection upgrades along US 30 near Columbia City appears to be an idea gaining traction in Kosciusko County.

[caption id="attachment_104541" align="alignright" width="250"] Jim Lancaster[/caption]

In mid-November, the Indiana Department of Transportation announced plans for construction of a new interchange and overpass east of the steel factory, marking the third and fourth intersections that now have specific plans in place as the transformation of the east-west highway begins in earnest across northern Indiana.

INDOT expects the cost for the two newest proposals to be upward of $70 million with construction set to begin in less than five years.

Steel Dynamics, without mentioning how much, confirmed to News Now Warsaw in November that they will provide a considerable amount of money to those projects.

[caption id="attachment_104542" align="alignright" width="250"] Rob Parker[/caption]

That came months after Steel Dynamics and Zimmer Biomet in Warsaw publicly urged INDOT to speed up efforts to transform US 30, in the name of public safety.

Zimmer Biomet wants to see the same thing happen in Kosciusko County.

Jim Lancaster, Senior Vice President, Head of Global Product Development and Executive Director Global Headquarters for Zimmer Biomet, said the move by Steel Dynamics has prompted discussion in Kosciusko County.

"It certainly gives us perspective as to how you help move this process forward a little bit," Lancaster said.

"This isn't necessarily a Zimmer Biomet comment, but more as a community member, some of the conversations we're having is is there a way for us to help pull parts of the community together and come up with some kind of financial catalyst together for this effort," Lancaster said.

Asked if he could envision other Orthopedic manufacturers in Warsaw working together to contribute funds for US 30 projects, Lancaster shied away from the idea.

"The bigger question is is there opportunity across the broader Warsaw community and or the Kosciusko County Community to see if we can have a similar effect," Lancaster said.

There might be broader support than in Columbia City because parts of US 30 in Kosciusko County are some of the most dangerous across the entire statewide length of the highway.

Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce President Rob Parker was also asked about community funding for the highway project and said he thinks it could speed up the project.

"There's no question there are opportunities for the community to raise funds to make it happen," Parker said.

Parker said he thinks the state government landscape has changed and that he welcomes some cooperation from the private sector to spur the US project.

"Going into a new administration and looking at the financial position of the state, where they're sitting coming into the new budget session, I think it would be foolish to think that what has happened in the past would continue," Parker said.

He adds that officials need to determine which intersections should be addressed and then figure out how much money might be needed "to move the needle."

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INDIANAPOLIS — Beginning on Jan. 1, INDOT’s worksite speed control pilot program, known as Safe Zones, will be deployed in the current I-465/I-69 construction zone on the northeast side of Indianapolis.

The program was authorized by House Enrolled Act 1015 during the 2023 legislative session to protect the lives of motorists and road workers across the Hoosier state.

By statute, INDOT may deploy Safe Zones at up to four sites at any given time.

Deployment will begin with a minimum 30-day pre-enforcement warning period during which drivers will receive courtesy notices via mail. The active site on I-70 in Hancock County will be discontinued later this month.

"Speed continues to be a problem in the Clear Path work zone,” said INDOT Commissioner Mike Smith. “We’re consistently seeing speeds in excess of 60, 70 or even 80-plus miles per hour, putting construction crews and other drivers at risk of injury or even death. Our goals are to slow drivers down, reduce crashes and most importantly, save lives.”

Over the past decade, 269 people have been killed in crashes in highway worksites or in worksite backups in Indiana. In 2023 alone, 33 people were killed and more than 1,750 were injured in INDOT work zones.

Four out of five people killed in work zones are either drivers or their passengers.

Similar programs in other states have significantly improved work zone safety. Two years after Maryland launched its program, speeding violations in construction sites fell by more than 80% and the incidence of worksite-related crashes, fatalities and injuries were at their lowest in more than 10 years. In the first year that Pennsylvania began continuously enforcing its program, it saw a more than 19% drop in worksite crashes. The first four months of INDOT’s pre-enforcement launch of the program show more than a 70% decrease in excessive speeding.

Data collected by Indiana Safe Zones will be used strictly for this program and will not be used for surveillance or other law enforcement purposes. INDOT will share annual reports throughout the five-year pilot program with members of the Indiana General Assembly and the traveling public. To learn more about Indiana Safe Zones, including active locations and answers to frequently asked questions, visit SafeZonesIN.com.

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WARSAW — Two officials connected to the US 30 project said Wednesday that after final recommendations on how intersections are pared down along the future limited-access highway, the next decisions will come down to money.

[caption id="attachment_101950" align="alignright" width="360"] Warsaw Mayor Jeff Grose (L) shares a thought with former mayor Joe Thallemer during Wednesday's meeting about US 30. Thallemer is the president of the Indiana US 30 Coalition. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

The Propel US 30 team hosted a public meeting Wednesday night at Lincoln Elementary in which people had a chance to see an up-close look at more than a dozen segments along the highway that included clusters of existing intersections.

Drawings and flyover videos of the many of the segments highlighted at the meeting are also available at propelus30.com.

Pubic opinion will be accepted on the intersections until Dec. 13.

A final design will be released early next year.

After that, Propel will send the recommendations to INDOT for consideration.

Propel Study Manager Rusty Holt said the state could potentially pick some of the most problematic intersections as it works to prioritize construction plans. That would work in the favor of Warsaw and Kosciusko County where some of the most deadly intersections across the entire stretch of US 30 are found.

Holt said money will be an issue once the Indiana Department of Transportation identifies certain projects.

"It may be that the highest need is Warsaw and so they need to address some issues inside of Warsaw and connect the dots later," Holt said.

INDOT has already given initial priority to a series of intersections west of Fort Wayne and east of Columbia City including two intersections near Steel Dynamics, which publically called on the state to take action earlier this year.

Steel Dynamics has also confirmed their willingness to commit an undisclosed amount of money to support the reconstruction of two intersections that will have a combined cost of upward of $70 million.

Holt was asked if that westward pattern of construction could continue into Kosciusko County.

"If it's one intersection or two intersections that are causing a lot of issues, maybe they would just look to fix those first," he said.

Former Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer said funding will become a main issue if the projects move forward, but adds that many lawmakers across northeast Indiana are strong supporters of revamping US 30.

[caption id="attachment_101951" align="aligncenter" width="900"] A view of the crowd at Lincoln Elementary Wednesday night for the US 30 meeting. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_101952" align="aligncenter" width="920"] Charts at the meeting displayed specific options for each intersection. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_101953" align="aligncenter" width="905"] An array of options are available for each intersection. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

The post Worst intersections could be prioritized, Propel US 30 official says appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

COLUMBIA CITY — In its biggest announcement to date concerning US 30, the Indiana Department of Transportation expressed full support on Wednesday for the construction of an interchange and overpass near Steel Dynamics in Whitley County.

Officials also said those two projects and improvements at two other nearby intersections will transform several miles of US 30 into a limited-access highway that many officials want to see happen all the way to Valparaiso.

[caption id="attachment_101674" align="alignright" width="360"] Steel Dynamics President and COO Barry Schneider smiles while talking with Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb after the state announced plans for an interchange and overpass near the company's plant outside of Columbia City. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

The announcement was made by Gov. Eric Holcomb at the SDI headquarters overlooking the highway and comes months after executives from the Columbia City firm and Zimmer Biomet in Warsaw publicly implored state leadership to move more quickly in improving safety conditions along the corridor.

INDOT Commissioner Mike Smith and Holcomb confirmed Steel Dynamics has agreed to help finance the two new projects.

"I think SDI fully understands they have a huge investment here in this geography and so they're willing partner to help us get there on project costs," Smith said.

"We couldn't be more appreciative," Holcomb added.

Steel Dynamics President and COO Barry Schneider told News Now Warsaw they’re committed to providing an unspecified amount of money toward the projects.

"We believe in putting skin in the game," Schneider said. "Right from the beginning, everybody's been clear that when we have "asks," we want to make sure the community appreciates what's happening and that everybody is involved — financially supporting projects like this is important."

The newest effort involves the construction of an interchange at CR 600E and an overpass at CR 700E. Already in the loop are plans for interchanges at Kroemer and Flaugh Roads and at Butt Road in Allen County, further to the east.

The combination of those improvements, Smith said, will create a limited access highway from CR 600E to I-69.

Holcomb attributed Indiana's ranking as the No. 1 advanced manufacturing state in America (per capita) to what's happening in northeast Indiana.

He said an estimated 745 million tons of freight pass through Indiana roads each year.

He commended state lawmakers for the pro-growth tax environment, and the continuity of that leadership has brought forward to cultivate an economy "that is so attractive and really creates this flywheel effect where progress attracts progress."

Former Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer, who serves as the president of Indiana's US 30 Coalition, was part of a large delegation representing Warsaw, Kosciusko County and Winona Lake that attended the gathering

Thallemer also spoke and pointed out that the original construction of US 30 some 52 years ago helped propel development in many of the communities but that congestion over the past 20 years has become problematic.

"An unsafe roadway degrades the reliability of travel — a point that business industry and industry business partners consistently remind us of," he said.

"Projects of this magnitude are complex, expensive, controversial and require patience, but bold leadership advances vision to create momentum for change," Thallemer said in thanking Holcomb for "navigating those complexities."

Also among those attending was Warsaw City Council President Jack Wilhite who said he thinks the large group from Kosciusko County at the meeting wants to see similar progress in their jurisdiction.

Intersections in Kosciusko County have some of the large number of serious traffic accident among all counties across the entire stretch of US 30.

"We're just showing our support for making sure something gets done," Wilhite said.

Wilhite said he thinks the announcement serves as an exclamation mark for Holbomb's support of the US 30 coalition as he prepares to step down as governor at the end of December.

The post Two projects on US 30 near Steel Dynamics gain state support appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW — The following details were released Tuesday ahead of two meetings concerning proposals involving the reconstruction of US 30.

The ProPEL US 30 East study team will host two public information meetings for the Draft Level 3 Screening Report in Warsaw and Columbia City. The meetings will be an open-house format, with various informational stations, videos, and a formal presentation.

• Tuesday, November 19, 2024, 5 to 7 p.m.
  Presentation at 5:30 p.m. EST
  Indian Springs Middle School, 1692 S.R. 9, Columbia City, IN 46275

• Wednesday, November 20, 5 to 7 p.m.
  Presentation at 5:30 p.m. EST
  Lincoln Elementary School, 203 N. Lincoln Street, Warsaw, IN 46580

In addition, the ProPEL US 30 East study team seeks public comments for the Draft Level 3 Screening Report. Public comments may be submitted online, in-person, and by mail through Friday, December 13, 2024. A Virtual Public Information Meeting will be posted at ProPELUS30.com on Wednesday, November 20, and will remain available throughout the duration of the public comment period.

• View the report here: https://propelus30.com/us-30-east/

• Interact with our segment map and videos: https://propelus30.com/alternatives3/

• Comment online at: https://pima.indot.in.gov/public/comment/project-comment-dynamic?project_id=105

• Mail comments to:
  Attn: ProPEL US 30 East Study
  WSP USA
  115 W. Washington Street #1270s
  Indianapolis, IN 46204

The ProPEL US 30 East Draft Level 3 Screening Report is based on data collection efforts that began in August 2022, and from feedback received from ongoing public and stakeholder involvement. INDOT intends to use the information, analysis, and decisions from the PEL study process to inform future decisions about the statewide infrastructure program which will require future federal environmental reviews conducted in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Physical copies of the Draft Level 3 Screening Report will be available to view at the following locations throughout the public comment period:

• Pierceton Public Library
  101 W. Catholic Street, Pierceton
• Warsaw Community Public Library
  310 E. Main Street, Warsaw
• Peabody Public Library
  1160 S.R.205, Columbia City
• Monroeville Public Library
  115 Main Street, Monroeville
• New Haven Community Center
  7500 S.R. 930 East, Fort Wayne
• Northeastern Indiana Regional Coordinating Council
  200 E Berry Street, Suite 230, Fort Wayne

The post More details, links on US 30 meetings, opportunities to comment appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW — The newest set of options for how best to reconstruct intersections along US 30 across northern Indiana was unveiled Tuesday.

The newest set of online options comes a week before two public meetings — one in Columbia City and one in Warsaw.

Officials have agreed already that the future highway will not stray from its existing path, which had earlier been a concern in Kosciusko County.

The ultimate goal is to make it a limited-access highway and that means relying heavily on new overpasses and interchanges while eliminating many of the existing smaller intersections.

The propelus30.com website has an in-depth look at how intersections could be adjusted as the state considers reconstructing the highway from Ohio to SR 49 near Valparaiso.

To see the section about Kosciusko County, go to the website and look for the link titled “Draft Level 3 Screening Report” and choose US 30 East.

Former mayor Joe Thallemer, who is the president of Indiana's US 30 Coalition, said the latest plan represents a conceptualization of what the highway could look like when complete.

What's available is an in-depth look at possibilities and examines what could happen with many of the intersections.

Thallemer said now is the time to get involved if you have concerns or preferences in how intersections are constructed.

"This is where public comment is probably going to be most impactful," Thallemer said.

The newly released draft of proposed safety improvements is a product of the Planning and Environmental Linkages Study (PEL).

"At this level of the PEL study — and really for the rest of the project — the state, feds and engineers will take over after that," he said.

Public information meetings are set for 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, at Indian Springs Middle School in Columbia City and 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov 20, at Lincoln Elementary in Warsaw.

The post New recommendations for US 30 intersections now online appeared first on News Now Warsaw.