Motorists in Noblesville should be prepared to find alternate routes after the city announced three temporary road closures that will be in effect for 150 days as part of the Reimagine Pleasant Street project.
The city has implemented the temporary closures of 8th Street between Mulberry and Washington streets; between 6th and 9th streets; and the alley between 8th and 9th streets at Pleasant Street. In addition, the city has also permanently closed Walnut Street at 8th Street and 7th Street at Pleasant Street, Noblesville City Engineer Alison Krupski said.
The temporary and permanent closures are necessary because of the construction of two roundabouts that will be on 8th Street, Krupski said. The two-lane roundabouts will be constructed at the same time and was planned that way to save time, she added.
“We thought it would be best to get the work done, get in and out, this year,” Krupski said.
The $115 million road improvement project in Noblesville is expected to improve traffic flow and ease congestion when completed, according to the city. The first phase of the project, which began in November 2022, spans 1.1 miles from River Road to 10th Street and includes work by Hamilton County for a bridge to be built over the White River.
However, construction of the new Pleasant Street bridge in and around the White River has prompted some water traffic restrictions, said Mike Maurovich, a project manager on the Pleasant Street project from engineering firm American Structurepoint. While the river remains open during construction, Maurovich said some individuals have been seen getting off the river and onto land where construction is nearby.
Maurovich urged boaters or kayakers to stay in their designated areas with marked buoys that are intended to guide them on the river, noting that there are active cameras to monitor activity in the area.
While the first phase remains underway with bridge construction continuing through this month, the second phase from 11th to 19th streets will create a four-lane section with a median, and work on the Midland Trace Trail, in addition to a 19th Street roundabout expansion.
Krupski also said other than the temporary and permanent closures, the city will add temporary signals on Hannibal Street at the intersections of 8th Street and 10th Street. She urged the public to plan ahead with alternate routes and noted that the city anticipates traffic will settle into regular patterns over a two-week period.
The city will also make any necessary adjustments that may be needed during the two-week period, according to Krupski. The third phase from Ind. 32 to River Road will eventually establish a two-lane section with the potential for expansion, along with connectivity to the Midland Trace Trail at Ind. 32 and Hague Road with pedestrian tunnels being planned, according to Maurovich.
Krupski said overall, the Pleasant Street project hasn’t experienced any significant delays and remains on schedule. The entire project is expected to be finished by the fall of 2025.
For more, visit reimaginepleasantst.com/.
