INDOT is currently upgrading US 31 from SR 38 to 286th Street in Hamilton County to improve safety and reduce crashes in the corridor. This project (Lead DES # 1900096) includes:
- One new, full-service interchange
- Two new overpasses
- Removing access and/or closing the median at other intersections
The chart under “Corridor Design” shows the design treatment for each intersection in the project area.
*The 236th Street Interchange was built under an independent project, more information can be found here.
Project Purpose and Need
This project is needed because of the high rate of crashes along the US 31 corridor. A 2017 INDOT study of crash data from 2014 to 2016 revealed that Hamilton County saw 5.96 crashes per mile per year, and most of the crashes occurred within 1,000 feet of an intersection. Crash data was recently reviewed for the three-year period from 2018 to 2020 and it was determined that during this timeframe, Hamilton County reported 10.98 crashes per mile per year, an 84 percent increase in Hamilton County between the two study periods. Following too closely, failing to yield the right of way, and disregarding traffic signs and signals were common causes of crashes during each period. These types of crashes occur more frequently at intersections.
The purpose of this project is to improve safety and reduce crashes along US 31 by creating a limited access corridor that provides safe local access to area motorists.
Where new overpass bridges are proposed for construction, traffic will be detoured along cross streets where new overpass bridge construction is proposed. Cross streets that are to be turned into cul-de-sacs will experience a permanent traffic alteration. Proposed interchange areas will utilize phased construction to maintain traffic. Initial stages of construction expected to begin in Summer 2022.
Project Updates
Final corridor design is summarized in the exhibit below. This design has been thoroughly evaluated through the environmental review process and balances the feedback received from environmental studies, adjacent and nearby communities, residents, business owners, property owners, emergency services, and more. A full report of studies, public involvement and project correspondence can be found under Project Documents in the file labeled Final Environmental Document.
The proposed changes since our public hearing are summarized below.
- Finalize cul-de-sac designs and overpass alignments throughout the corridor. (See Intersection Exhibits for proposed adjustments)
- Added a local access road to provide access to otherwise landlocked properties. (See Intersection Exhibits for proposed adjustments)
- Install median cable barrier from 106th Street to SR 26.
- Signing and circulatory roadway modifications at US 31 and SR 28.
INDOT is requesting your feedback regarding this project and proposed changes. Please click here to submit comments.
Corridor Design:
- US 31 Corridor Exhibit
- US 31 Intersection Exhibits
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this project accommodate emergency services?
During project development, INDOT engaged specifically with emergency service providers, including Jackson Township Fire, Cicero Fire, Sheridan Fire, Hamilton County Sherrif’s Office, Hamilton County Emergency Management, Westfield Police and Fire, Carmel Police and Fire, and Indiana State Police to ensure their valuable input was received and incorporated into the project design to ensure minimal impact to response times.
One specific item that came from this coordination is the knowledge that US 31 is a boundary for Sheridan, Cicero, and Jackson Townships, so emergency responders will not be significantly impacted by the US 31 Limited Access Project within their jurisdictions. In situations requiring mutual aid, responders will be able to cross US 31 freely without the delays they currently face. In mass response incidents, the agencies that would come from the south will also be able to access the area without having to clear at-grade intersections on US 31. Finally, coordination with emergency services has taken place over multiple years, allowing significant time for planning to ensure a smooth transition from the current to the proposed final configuration. INDOT will continue to coordinate with appropriate parties as the project progresses.
How will the US 31 project impact the response for a medical emergency at Hamilton Heights School District?
The two closest EMS providers for Hamilton Heights are Jackson Township Fire and Cicero Fire. Both firehouses are equipped with two ambulances and multiple fire apparatuses. Also, the two nearest hospitals are IU Health Tipton Hospital and Riverview Health Hospital Noblesville. IU Health Tipton
Hospital is 11 minutes north off SR 19 and Riverview Health Hospital Noblesville is 15 minutes south off SR 19. Neither the Fire Stations response route nor the Hospital routes use US 31, so the project will not impact these responses.
Should the medical emergency require specialty care for a child, the nearest Childrens Hospital is Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. The current approximate drive time from Hamilton Heights High School using 256th Street to US 31 is 36 minutes. Once the US 31 Limited Access project is constructed, the proposed approximate drive time from Hamilton Heights High School using 256th, Anthony Rd, 236th to US 31 is 37 minutes.
This information is gathered from Google Maps and is subject to change based on driving conditions at the time of mapping the route.
Why do some intersections need to be closed or have cul-de-sacs constructed?
Constructing over/underpasses or a full interchange at every intersection is not feasible from benefit to cost ratio. Locations have been selected based on a variety of factors, including traffic volumes, crash reduction, construction cost, and end-user utility costs.
For reference, interchanges currently cost approximately $50 million, overpasses cost $10 million, and cul-de-sacs cost $250,000.
Why is there not an interchange being proposed at 256th Street?
The purpose of the project is to improve safety by further limiting access to US 31. This project balanced the need to improve safety with the need to provide access. In a rural setting, INDOT prefers to see a minimum four-mile spacing of interchanges to provide adequate distance between entrance and exit ramps and minimize merging conflict points. The interchanges at 236th Street and 276th streets provide more than enough capacity to handle the volumes of traffic in this area as well as 20 years post-construction. Also, an interchange in today’s dollars can cost around $50 million. Based on the lack of alignment with the project purpose, lack of need, and significant cost to taxpayers, we are not pursuing an interchange at 256th Street as part of this project.
For a complete list of all Frequently Asked Questions, please look under the Project Documents section below.
Maintenance of Traffic
Where new overpass bridges are proposed for construction, traffic will be detoured along cross streets. Cross streets that will be converted to cul-de-sacs will experience a permanent traffic alteration, but not until overpasses and access roads are open to traffic. Interchange areas will utilize phased construction to maintain traffic on US 31.
Project Schedule
The 236th and 276th Street interchanges began construction in 2022, and will be open to traffic by the end of 2023, with final completion in 2024. Overpasses will begin construction in 2025 with final completion in 2026. Cul-de-sac construction will take place last with final completion in 2026.
Project Documents
- Frequently Asked Questions Document (Fall 2023)
- Final Environmental Document (Spring 2022)
Public Hearing (August 2021)
Public Information Meeting 2 (Spring 2021)
Public Information Meeting 1 (Fall 2020)
Contact Us
For any other matters related to INDOT, please contact us via any method referenced below.
INDOT4U Customer Service
INDOT@indot.in.gov
855-INDOT4U (463-6848)
INDOT4U.com