Staff report

Drives north and south on U.S. 31 will take a little longer since INDOT closed a stretch of U.S. 31 at 7 p.m. April 4. The road will be closed between 136th Street and Old Meridian for the next seven months. Contractors for INDOT said the highway is expected to reopen before Thanksgiving.

The official detour will direct motorists to Keystone Parkway. Local routes such as Pennsylvania, Illinois and Old Meridian streets will serve as alternate routes for local access. Officials said access to all businesses will remain open by way of these local roads during the U.S. 31 closure.

Following the closure, INDOT will monitor traffic patterns and make any necessary signal timing adjustments once traffic patterns stabilize.

136th Street access

Motorists will be able to cross U.S. 31 at 136th Street at all times during the closure, and access to St. Vincent Carmel will remain available. Motorists will be able to access 136th Street from southbound U.S. 31, and access will be available to northbound U.S. 31 from 136th Street.

126th Street/Carmel Drive access

Cross traffic access on U.S. 31 will be available via 126th Street/Carmel Drive during the U.S. 31 closure through the fall.

Old Meridian Street access

Motorists will be able to access Old Meridian Street from northbound U.S. 31 through the duration of the closure. Old Meridian Street will also have free-flowing access to southbound U.S. 31.

131st Street/Main Street access

Cross traffic access at U.S. 31 and 131st Street/Main Street is currently closed for construction and will remain closed through fall 2014. In the fall, 131st Street/Main Street will open to cross traffic access on U.S. 31 while construction occurs on 126th Street/Carmel Drive. While motorists will be able to cross U.S. 31at this location beginning in the fall, direct access to northbound or southbound U.S. 31 will not be restored until U.S. 31 reopens before Thanksgiving.

For more information, visit www.us31hamiltoncounty.in.gov.