The Indiana Department of Transportation will continue daytime closure of the southbound U.S. Highway 31 left lane on either side of State Road 38 Monday to allow workers safe space to sample soils along the roadside in advance of construction later this year. Restrictions are in effect from 9:30 a.m. through 3:30 p.m.
Boring operations began Friday morning after “rush hour”—and continued through the afternoon. (At the same time, a separate boring crew working on an unrelated project required periodic lane closures along northbound U.S. 31 during daytime hours Friday.)
The $19.6 million U.S. 31 freeway-style interchange at S.R. 38 is designed as a “folded” diamond. This plan precludes impacting nearby MacGregor Park. Twin two-lane bridges will span S.R. 38—the northbound bridge was opened to traffic in December, the southbound bridge will be constructed in 2012. In addition, three-sided box structures are being built at Lindley Ditch and Isaac Jones Ditch.
This Major Moves project includes the construction of two miles of U.S. 31 mainline.
Work will resume on the bridge and roadbed in March. At that time, southbound traffic will be routed to a single lane on the northbound (east) side of the roadway.