Published: November 10, 2009 04:07 pm      

INDOT decides to hold off on U.S. 36 project

Indiana State Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, recently announced that the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has decided to indefinitely put on hold plans to expand U.S. 36 on the west side of Indianapolis.

“In the west part of Indianapolis there are traffic challenges,” Delph said. “Many people felt that the construction project on Rockville Road (U.S. 36) was not the right project and would not stop the traffic woes.”

Karen Farmer, treasurer for the Rockville Road, High School Road, and Girl School Road Neighborhood Association, said she is also pleased with the outcome.

“We are very pleased that they made the decision that they did,” Farmer said. “It would have been such a disruption for now and the future.”

Farmer said the traffic congestion issue is not as great on the stretch between I-465 and Raceway Road.

“We don’t have the traffic congestion until you go west on (U.S.) 36 into Hendricks County,” she said. “There are not as many traffic lights and the traffic flows pretty freely. They only wanted to widen the section just west of 465. This was not going to help the traffic to the west. We did not see why this section was going to be addressed.”

Over the past year, Delph has worked to facilitate conversations between the neighborhood association and INDOT about the proposed project.

“I think that it was helpful for (representatives from INDOT) to hear their concerns directly,” Delph said.

Delph said INDOT will continue to monitor traffic flow along the corridor and key intersections, look for other ways to reduce traffic congestion, and improve the overall safety along the roadway.

For the neighborhood association, Delph was one of the only options.

“It was natural to reach out to (Delph),” Farmer said. “We are extremely pleased. He took it on and helped us address our issues.”

Delph said he was pleased that he was able to assist his constituents by resolving an issue.

“When I spoke to my constituents, there was a concern and a feeling that they were not being listened to,” Delph said. “I feel disheartened when people feel that government is not working in their best interest.”

Through several meetings, Delph said he didn’t encounter one person who was in favor of the project.

Delph said that INDOT officials had contacted him and said part of the decision not to do the project was based on revenue challenges. They re-evaluated each project and tabled the projects that faced a great deal of opposition, he explained.

ryan.palencer@flyergroup.com