Traffic, businesses to be displaced during 2009 construction along Grant Line Road

July 03, 2008 11:47 am

— A sizable portion of Grant Line Road will be closed beginning around May, as construction of an overpass and the addition of lanes will force traffic down other streets.
The Indiana Department of Transportation held a public hearing Wednesday for business owners and residents to state their concerns about the project.
One new detail that sparked debate was the proposed closure of University Woods Drive for three to six weeks during construction.
“(University Woods Drive) is like an umbilical cord for us —it’s where all our traffic comes from,” said Roger Baylor, co-owner of New Albanian Brewing Co., Pizzeria and Pub, which is located along Plaza Drive. “That’s my entire business.”
INDOT Project Manager Kenny Franklin said the final construction plans have not been determined, as public input will influence the ultimate blueprint.
Keeping University Woods Drive open in some locations during the proposed closure period could be a possibility,
Franklin said. But it would require flaggers and only one lane available for traffic.
Grant Line Road from University Woods Drive to Rolling Creek Drive will be closed while the overpass and road improvements are completed.
University Woods Drive will serve as the main detour route during the estimated six-to-nine-months of construction. Motorists can connect back to Grant Line Road by turning down University Woods Drive and taking Plaza Drive to a temporary road — which will be constructed for the project — that will link to McDonald Lane.
The official detour route will be to take Interstate 265 to I-64, and then connect back with Ind. 111, but Franklin knows it won’t be the popular choice.
“People will find the shortest path like water,” he said.
Residents spoke of traffic woes in the packed third-floor assembly room of the City/County Building. One Christian Academy of Indiana teacher observed the detour route would be “insane with 1,000 parents trying to get their kids” from the school located at 1000 Academy Drive.
She said pick-up and drop-off times would present dangers for parents, children and motorists because of the volume of traffic along University Woods Drive if it served as a detour route.
Deputy Mayor and Director of Development Carl Malysz said city officials were still working with INDOT to finalize a detour plan, saying they are looking at other alternatives that would cause less disruption for motorists.
“I can’t say that we have the solution,” Malysz said.
John Rosenbarger, director of facilities for Public Works, said there would be no easy way to get such a massive project completed.
“You can’t rebuild Grant Line Road, which is in the middle of the city, without traffic trauma,” he said.
The project will bring a turning lane in the middle of Grant Line Road along with two lanes on each side from immediately south of Mount Tabor Road to just south of McDonald Lane.
An estimated 120-foot-long overpass would be added to clear the CSX Co. railroad tracks. One resident asked if it’s possible to raise or lower the tracks instead of the road.
“I would love to work with the railroad better, but they don’t play too well,” said Franklin of CSX, adding the cost of moving railroad tracks would be astronomical.
Franklin said they anticipate the construction costs will surpass the amount of funding budgeted for the project, which is part of Gov. Mitch Daniels’ Major Moves initiative.
Changes in the plan to allow more traffic flow during construction along with other variations have driven the price tag up, especially additional right-of-way purchases that will be required.
INDOT Spokesman Marvin Jenkins said they would not know the cost of the project until it is let for bidding sometime around March, with crews expected to begin construction in May.
The state will pay for the project as part of taking over areas of Ind. 111, or Grant Line Road, from Mount Tabor Road south to Main Street, then west to State Street.
The city is paying for access and detour roads with tax-increment- financing funds, according to Malysz.

Changing face of Grant Line Road
Adding sidewalks, curbs and gutters to Grant Line Ride along with an overpass that will allow motorists to avoid train delays will be nice, but it will also require removing some businesses.
Thornton Oil gas station along Grant Line Road will be one of the businesses torn down because of the expansion. The state will pay for land they have to take in order to complete the project, property that can be resold if it is later deemed unneeded after construction is finished.
“I would anticipate that almost everyone will have an offer on the table by July,” Franklin said.
Property owners will have a month to accept the offer, then it will take up to 90 days for payment. After they have been compensated, landowners will have a minimum of 30 days to relocate.
Some land purchases will be for only a portion of property to extend the right-of-way, and will not entail the state buying an entire lot.
Offers could come via certified mail or may be received in-person. According to Franklin, federal law does not require payment to establishments for loss of business.
That announcement drew some mumbles from the crowd, since access to many businesses along the Grant Line Road corridor will be difficult at best, during the construction.
Franklin said when the state originally considered the project, they were willing to shut the whole road down for as long as it took. He added they would investigate any viable option to keep commerce in the area stabilized.
“I’m concerned for your businesses and I’m asking a lot of questions of a lot of people,” Franklin told the crowd.

THE DETOUR
If the construction plans are OK’d as is, the plan would be:
• Grant Line Road from University Woods Drive to Rolling Creek Drive will be closed while an overpass and road improvements are completed.
• University Woods Drive will serve as the main detour route during the estimated six to nine months of construction. Motorists can connect back to Grant Line Road by turning down University Woods Drive and taking Plaza Drive to a temporary road — which will be constructed for the project — that will link to McDonald Lane.
• The official detour route will be to take Interstate 265 to Interstate 64, and then connect back with Ind. 111.

Photos

Traffic moves along Grant Line Road in New Albany on Wednesday afternoon in New Albany. Staff photo by Kevin McGloshen