The Indiana Department of Transportation is expected to break ground in April on an Ind. 32 construction project. According to the department, the pavement on Ind. 32 between 6th and 16th streets has “reached the end of its useful life and must be replaced.”
Kyleigh Cramer, public relations director for INDOT, said the pavement is more than 100 years old.
“This pavement still has brick underneath it, which is not a good foundation when you’re putting pavement on top of it,” Cramer said. “It can really cause wear and tear a lot quicker than your regular pavement and layering underneath your pavement.”
Work will be primarily performed along Ind. 32 between 6th and 16th streets, although additional resurfacing work will happen east of Lakeview Drive to the river and between 16th and 19th streets. There will also be intersection improvements along Ind. 37.
“We’re going drill down all the way to the brick, remove the brick and then repave that area and reconstruct it,” Cramer said.
The Ind. 32 project will have three phases:
- Phase 1 will include a full closure and upgrades to the intersection at 16th Street and Ind. 32.
- Phase 2 will include a full closure from west of 16th Street through 9th Street, including the intersection of 9th and 10th Street and Ind. 32
- Phase 3 will include a full closure from west of 9th Street to 6th Street, including the intersection of 8th Street. 9th and 10th streets will be open.
Cramer said INDOT has talked about doing the Ind. 32 project since 2017.
“(The project on Ind. 32) actually prevents us from having to come back to this road for quite a bit of time,” Cramer said. “It’s going to be fresh pavement, which I think really adds a testimony to Noblesville in general. It is a growing area. It’s a growing population.”
According to INDOT, “great care will be given to preserving the beauty of Noblesville, especially the Historic District,” including preserving existing trees and sidewalks to the extent possible.
Cramer said sidewalks will be open to businesses and buildings along Ind. 32 and downtown. She said INDOT met with local businesses earlier this month to discuss the project.
The detour route will be at Hazel Dell Road to 146th Street to Ind. 37, Cramer said, and 146th Street will remain open through Allisonville Road.
Street parking along Ind. 32 will be temporarily impacted, according to INDOT, but motorists can park in the Levinson Parking Garage, and there are additional on-street parking spots downtown. The Hamilton County Parking Garage and surface lot are available during evenings and weekends.
For more, visit reconstructingsr32.com.
