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 per 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 project team at Milestone Contractors, who urged motorists to exercise caution when driving through the construction zone.
So far, workers have been clearing trees, marking locations of proposed new structures, installing erosion control measures, clearing topsoil, relocating utilities and laying the ground work 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.
“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.”
For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.
