Upgrades are coming soon to the intersection of 146th Street and Hazel Dell Parkway, and on June 20 the Hamilton County Highway Department held a public meeting to share details about the project and gather feedback from the community.

The intersection, deemed in at least two studies to be one of the most dangerous in the area, is set to be transformed from a signalized intersection to a safer and more efficient design.

“What we are anticipating is having a roundabout below and then a bridge over the Hazel Dell roundabout that would carry 146th Street,” said Matt Lee, HCHD bridge program engineer. “One of the main goals is to improve safety and to improve the intersection level of service. Basically, we’re just trying to make everything work better.”

HCHD and civil engineering firm Butler, Fairman & Seufert are collaborating on the project. Lee said many of the project plans are still in the preliminary stages.

“We like to have public information meetings so that we can allow nearby landowners affected to come see what the impacts of the project are,” Lee said. “The goal of the meeting is to share where we are at with the project, give people an update on what our schedule looks like and what the remainder of the design portion of the project looks like before we get into construction.”

The county began planning for the $37 million project in 2020. Construction is set to be complete in the winter of 2028.

Chris Kellum, who attended the meeting, lives off of146th Street. Though he is uncertain about how the project will directly impact him, he is pleased with the amount of thought and work being put into the plan.

“The project looks reasonable,” Kellum said. “I’m not too concerned about (the traffic and construction). I know it’s temporary, and it has to be done. The change really does need to happen, and I trust they can do it as much as expediently possible.”

For more, visit hamiltoncounty.in.gov.