Construction crews have wasted little time getting started on the railroad overpass and interchange project on Columbus’ west side that will allow motorists to avoid being stopped by railroad traffic at the intersection of State Road 46 and State Road 11.
Crews from Milestone Contractors have been working seven days a week — and, at times, past daylight hours — on the estimated $35 million project that is being jointly funded by the Indiana Department of Transportation, city of Columbus, Bartholomew County, Cummins Inc. and the Louisville and CSX Railroads.
“We are out there working in the dark,” said Nathan Gaskill, a member of the Milestone Contractors project team, who urged motorists to be cautious when driving through the construction zone on State Road 46 and State Road 11.
So far, workers have been clearing trees, marking locations of proposed new structures, installing erosion control measures, clearing topsoil, relocating utilities and laying the groundwork for the center pier for the new bridge that will carry State Road 46 over State Road 11 and the railroad, said Natalie Garrett, spokeswoman of INDOT’s Seymour district.
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“This work is expected to continue through the winter months as weather allows,” she said. “…The interchange is expected to be complete and open to traffic in spring 2021.”
Currently, the project is in the first of three phases. The first phase should be complete by the end of spring next year, according to INDOT. Traffic interruptions are expected to be “minimal” during this phase, Garrett said.
The second phase, which is expected to start in early summer and be completed by late fall, will result in temporary road and lane closures on State Road 11 and State Road 46.
In early summer, construction crews are expected to work on water mains, drainage structures and pavement on State Road 11, which is tentatively scheduled to be closed to all traffic for 30 days in June, Garrett said. Traffic on State Road 11 will be rerouted on to I-65 during that time.
In the fall, eastbound State Road 46 will be reduced to one lane for around 50 days to “allow construction of various tie-in points between the existing roadway and new roadway,” Garrett said.
During the the third phase of the project, which is projected to start in fall 2020, westbound State Road 46 will be reduced to one lane for about two months, according to INDOT.
Dave Hayward, city of Columbus engineer, said the road closures will be challenging, but “we’ll get through it.”
“It’s not something we haven’t been through before,” Hayward said.
The overpass project was developed in response to a projected increase in railroad traffic on the Louisville & Indiana Railroad tracks. INDOT has agreed to pick up half of the total cost, while the city, along with other partners, picking up the half of the tab.
The railroad has leased its tracks running through Columbus to CSX, resulting in an increase in train traffic, train speed and delays at intersections involving rail crossings through the city, with the State Road 46/State Road 11 intersection expected to have the most delayed local traffic.
The city has partnered with Cummins, Bartholomew County and the Louisville & Indiana and CSX Railroads to defray around half of the local funding requirements in the interlocal agreement, city officials said.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the project was held last month.
Approximately 31,200 tons of new asphalt and 4,600 tons of recycled asphalt will be used for the project, and about 460,000 cubic yards of dirt will be poured at the site — equaling around 50,000 truck loads, said Mark Thompson, vice president of Milestone Contractors, in a previous interview.
Currently, 40,000 motorists cross the railroad tracks at this intersection daily. To put it in perspective, an estimated 45,000 people live in Columbus, and 80,000 individuals live in Bartholomew County.
The interchange is expected open to traffic in spring 2021, though some environmental mitigation, including tree planting and grass seeding, will likely continue into the fall, Garrett said.
However, inclement weather could alter the timeline.
“They’ve got a lot of work and winter is closing in on them pretty quickly,” Hayward said. “They’re trying to get as much done as they can.”
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To learn more about the railroad overpass project, visit columbusrailroadproject.org.
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