Construction crews continue to make progress in the railroad overpass and interchange project on Columbus’ west side to allow motorists to avoid being stopped by railroad traffic at the intersection of State Road 46 and State Road 11.
Over the past couple weeks, workers have poured the bridge deck and placed a barrier wall on the westbound side of the new bridge over train tracks along State Road 11 before opening a new traffic alignment earlier this week, said project manager Nathan Gaskill.
The new alignment, which opened early Monday, allows motorists traveling northbound on State Road 11 to westbound State Road 46 to use a new ramp that loops around to the right in the shape of an ear and merges onto the westbound side of the bridge over the train tracks.
“You won’t make that left turn (on to State Road 46) anymore,” Gaskill said. “You’ll make a right turn and go around the spaghetti bowl and over the new bridge.”
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
Crews from Milestone Contractors have been working 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 & Indiana and CSX railroads.
Currently, construction crews are preparing to open the new traffic alignment for motorists exiting downtown Columbus to westbound State Road 46, and tentatively expect to have it ready by the second week of August, weather permitting, Gaskill said.
Over the next couple of weeks, workers will be excavating for roadways of the new alignment, installing the stone base for the new road ways and paving asphalt, Gaskill said.
In addition, subcontractors are working on installing signage, including overhead signs, and lighting.
“We’re trying to get it done as fast as we can and as safely as we can for everybody,” Gaskill said.
So far, the project remains on schedule, said INDOT spokeswoman Natalie Garrett.
The project is now in the second of three phases, and is expected to be completed by late fall this year.
The first part of the second phase included, among other things, the closure of a quarter-mile stretch of State Road 11 between State Road 46 and Garden City during most of June so workers could rip out and replace existing pavement on State Road 11 and add new drainage structures, Garrett said.
In late June, construction crews had completed the pavement and drainage work on State Road 11 and opened the eastbound side of the bridge over the train tracks, offering motorists their first chance to travel over the new railroad overpass.
Dave Hayward, Columbus city engineer, said there have been no issues with the eastbound bridge or the flow of traffic into Columbus on State Road 46.
“Everything seems to be working the way it was intended to,” Hayward said.
During the second part of this phase of the project, which is expected to start in early 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 third phase of the project, which is projected to start in late fall, westbound State Road 46 will be reduced to one lane for about two months, according to INDOT.
The contract completion date is June 2021.
“The project is progressing on schedule,” Garrett said. “Work will continue at the project site through late fall and resume in the spring for completion.”
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, pick up the half of the tab.
The railroad has leased its tracks running through Columbus to CSX, which is expected to result 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 in November.
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 truckloads, 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.
Hayward urged motorists to drive carefully while traveling through the construction zone.
“Traffic patterns will change out there occasionally for the next couple of weeks, so we just want people to very cautious and aware of what’s going on around them out there,” Hayward said.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Where to learn more” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Visit columbusrailroadproject.org for more information about the project.
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”For more photos” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
For more drone photos of the ongoing railroad overpass construction, visit therepublic.com.
[sc:pullout-text-end]
