Typically, the roaring blast of a train’s horn is met groans and sighs by everyone near the railroad tracks at State Road 46 and State Road 11 on Columbus’ west side.
But when a particularly deafening horn sounded Wednesday afternoon, just seconds before the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new railroad overpass, it invoked a different reaction.
“I’m sure that sound used to strike some fear into folks, especially those who came in from the west side out of town, but hopefully today, you just shook your head and chuckled, because we don’t have to worry about that anymore,” said city Finance Director Jamie Brinegar.
The city held the ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday near the new overpass. Officials from local and state government were present, as well as individuals from the various entities that partnered on the project, including the Louisville & Indiana Railroad, Cummins, Bartholomew County and state officials.
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Some of these leaders stepped up to the mic to thank those involved and celebrate the project’s speedy completion.
“This project proves that at a government state and local level, cooperation and collaboration exists, and the result is meaningful improvement in the lives of our citizens,” said Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop.
Mark Thompson, regional president of Indiana South for Milestone Contractors, celebrated the collaboration by giving copies of a birds-eye photo of the overpass to all those involved in the project. Photos were given to the Indiana Department of Transportation, the city of Columbus, Louisville & Indiana Railroad, Bartholomew County, engineering firm CMT and Cummins, Inc.
Milestone Contractors was the Indiana Department of Transportation contractor on the construction of the overpass, which began with a groundbreaking ceremony last November.
Even though the overpass is now open for drivers, there is still some work left to be done.
Executive Director of Public Works and City Engineer Dave Hayward said earlier that while the $35 million overpass project is “basically complete,” the city would seek landscaping bids for the project in January and that the work could be finished early spring or summer or possibly late next year.
The overpass project is jointly funded by the Indiana Department of Transportation, Columbus, Bartholomew County, Cummins Inc. and the Louisville & Indiana and CSX railroads.
The project was developed in response to a projected increase in railroad traffic on the Louisville & Indiana Railroad tracks. INDOT agreed to pick up half of the total cost, while the city, along with other partners, picked up the rest of the tab.
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.
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.
After short speeches were offered at Wednesday’s ceremony, those involved with the project posed for a photo on the highway and cut the ribbon. As it fluttered to the ground, vibrant, multicolored fireworks shot into the air in a nearby field. And then, for the second time in as many minutes, a train sounded its horn.
And, as Brinegar predicted, the sound was met with laughter from the assembled group.
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- It’s been three years since INDOT accepted the railroad overpass project and nearly 11 months since the November groundbreaking.
- More than 2,000 cubic yards of concrete were used in bridges for the project, estimated Mark Thompson, regional president of Indiana South for Milestone Contractors.
- 2,200 trees will be planted as part of landscaping for the project.
- 40,000 motorists cross the railroad tracks at this intersection on a daily basis.
- More than 45,000 tons of asphalt were used, Thompson said, and over 500,000 cubic yards of dirt were moved.
- Change orders total more than $978,000.
- The estimated cost of the project is more than $35 million.
- 50% of the project’s costs will be picked up by INDOT; the other half will be picked up by the city and its partners.
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To view more photos, go to therepublic.com.
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