By Heather Lusk
Major construction is scheduled to begin June 5 on a roundabout at the intersection of Ford and Mulberry roads, with a goal to complete most of the project by the time school resumes in the fall.
“There are no significant closures anticipated,” said Lance Lantz, street and stormwater superintendent for the Town of Zionsville. He added that some temporary closures or lane restrictions will be required during the project to accommodate construction.
“It may become necessary to enact longer term closures if we’re not making progress,” he said.
Although Lantz said he hopes for the bulk of the work to be done by Aug. 8, minor work will still be required after school begins.
“We encourage people to seek an alternate route for the next 60 days,” Lantz said.
One factor that has lengthened the timeline of the project is an additional turn lane southbound on Ford Road into Zionsville Middle School.
The roundabout will be single lane except for the southwest corner, which will have a dedicated right turn lane for eastbound traffic turning south onto Ford Road.
The $889,000 roundabout is being partially funded by a $1 million matching grant from INDOT. The grant also is expected to fund the reconstruction and rehabilitation of several roads in Zionsville.
The roundabout will be the third in Zionsville. The first roundabout at the intersection of Bloor and Ford roads underwent the bulk of its construction during the summer of 2015 to minimize the impact on schools and bus routes. A roundabout at US-421 and SR 32 was built in 2015, but then closed for rebuilding later that year, and again in 2016.
