Apr 6, 2017 - Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner ... finishing I-69 and having a free flow of traffic fro
Indiana Department of Transportation
Volume 2, Issue 1: 1st Quarter 2017
THE SCOOP ON I-69 SECTION 6
It’s here! Draft Environmental Impact Study is ready for review Since INDOT re-initiated the I-69 Section 6 project, our focus has been on a document known as the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). This exhaustive 1,500-page study outlines all possible impacts to be considered in choosing a route. The document highlights INDOT’s preferred route and the steps necessary to move forward on building Section 6 and eventually opening it to traffic. Since March 2016, INDOT has considered three routes for State Road 37 that have different travel patterns and options for interchanges, overpasses/ underpasses and local access roads. INDOT took elements from each proposed route to create the preferred alternative. In the DEIS, you will see the placement and selection of interchanges, local access roads and overpasses/underpasses. “This is an important milestone for an important project, and it couldn’t have been accomplished without the significant amount of public input we received from hundreds of citizens, elected officials and civic organizations along the corridor,” said Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner Joe McGuinness. “This draft study moves us closer to what’s been talked about for so, so long – finishing I-69 and having a free flow of traffic from Evansville to Indianapolis.” Maps of the proposed corridor are available to view on the project’s website at http://www.in.gov/indot/ projects/i69/2345.htm. These maps contain details of the preferred route and property impacts.
Through May 8, INDOT is seeking comments from the public and interested stakeholders on the overpasses/underpasses, interchanges, road alignment, etc., of the preferred alternative. These comments will help INDOT identify potential refinements to the preferred route, which will be included in the Final Environmental Impact Statement, expected to be released during the first quarter of 2018 along with the Record of Decision, which is the federal decision that authorizes INDOT to proceed with design and construction of the route. Paper copies of the DEIS will be available at the I-69 Section 5 and I-69 Section 6 Project Offices, INDOT’s Central, Greenfield and Seymour District Offices and at the following public libraries: Indianapolis Public Library • Central Branch 40 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis • Southport Branch 2630 E. Stop 11 Rd., Indianapolis • Decatur Branch 5301 Kentucky Ave., Indianapolis
Benefits of I-69 Section 6
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Johnson County Public Library • White River Branch 1664 Library Blvd., Greenwood • Mooresville Public Library 220 W. Harrison St., Mooresville
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Morgan County Public Library • Waverly Branch 9410 IN-144, Martinsville • Martinsville Branch 110 S. Jefferson St., Martinsville Additional Library Branches • Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library 1120 Stafford Rd., Plainfield • Monroe County Public Library 303 E. Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington *Impact to a four-county region
INDOT hosts public hearings after release of draft impact study
Outreach efforts continue for I-69 Section 6 project team
More than 500 people attended two public hearings hosted by INDOT on April 6 and April 10 at Perry Meridian High School and Martinsville High School, respectively. INDOT had representatives from its Real Estate Department available to speak to home and business owners about the acquisition and relocation process for land along the preferred route. Maps were available to review. The project team also provided a formal presentation to explain the process taken to present the preferred alternative to the Federal Highway Administration and to discuss next steps in development of the project. The presentation and maps are available online at www.i69indyevn.org.
Comments received during the comment period Since releasing the DEIS, INDOT has been receiving comments and will continue to do so until May 8. These are a few of the helpful comments received:
To make a comment, visit www.i69indyevn.org. In the drop-down menu at Section 6 – Martinsville to Indianapolis, click on Comment Form to write and submit a comment.
“I would like to suggest that the Project Team choose the C4B route for the Southport Rd/SR 47 interchange.” “I highly recommend alternative C4A for the proposed intersection of Southport and I-69 for several reasons…” “The plan shows an underpass for Myra Lane to access Ozark Fisheries and First United Methodist Church … If there is any chance our crossover could still become an overpass instead, I would favor that.”
Indiana Department of Transportation I-69 Section 6 Project Office 7847 Waverly Road Martinsville, IN 46151 Phone: (317) 881-6408 Email:
[email protected]
W W W. I 6 9 I N DY EV N . O R G
In an effort to keep the public better informed about the progress of I-69 Section 6, INDOT will attend meetings held by other organizations to provide project updates. This will allow INDOT to reach more project stakeholders and provide everyone with additional insights into the development of the project and how it will affect their communities. Project updates, unlike public meetings, are not forums for the public to submit official comments, and INDOT will not record comments as it would at a public meeting. Project updates give INDOT a better idea of the needs and concerns of project stakeholders by creating an informal dialogue between the department and stakeholders. Due to time and resource constraints, INDOT cannot participate in all meetings that it is invited to attend. If you are interested in having INDOT officials at a meeting, visit http://www.in.gov/indot/ projects/i69/. In the drop-down menu at Section 6 – Martinsville to Indianapolis, click on Project Updates and News. Scroll down to find the form under Meeting Request. It will explain the process for requesting a meeting.
Project Office Hours T h e p ro je c t o ff ic e is o p e n M o n d a y t h ro u g h F r id a y, 9 a . m . t o 4 p . m . , e x c lu d in g s t a t e h o lid a y s .
