Road construction barrels for use with roadwork stories.
For those who prefer the main highways between Columbus and destinations east of the city, it has felt like all roads led to construction. Three different highway projects have taken place within close proximity to each other since mid-July.
But all the delays and inconveniences should be over after the Labor Day weekend, a spokesman for the Indiana Department of Transportation said.
Since July, three separate road construction projects on East 25th Street and State Road 9 have either resulted in two-way traffic being routed on to one lane, or detours that added several minutes to morning and afternoon commutes.
If the weather cooperates, INDOT expects to wrap up the project on a bridge along State Road 9, just north of the intersection of East 25th Street, on or around Tuesday, Brian said.
In recent weeks, temporary traffic signals have controlled traffic on either side of the bridge that is located just south of Sunland Road. Rather than a flagman, the signal controlled two-way traffic to cross the bridge on one open lane.
Many motorists were confused why road crews were back on the same bridge that had been extensively rebuilt less than five years ago. But INDOT spokesman Gary Brian said the project was only for painting.
“INDOT performs painting to help preserve the life of the structure and also to give a better visual for our bridge inspectors,” Brian said.
A few miles away, bridge work was completed Friday on the concrete bridge that crosses Clifty Creek along East 25th Street. While the deck was being upgraded, traffic on one of Bartholomew County’s busiest roads was rerouted south to County Road 50N and through residential neighborhoods. It was a detour that added extra time to morning and afternoon commutes.
The first and largest project of the summer in this area began on July 17, which involved milling and repaving East 25th Street from the Columbus City Limits to State Road 9. The contractor was able to speed up the work on the 5.5 mile route by milling on one end of the project and putting down new asphalt on the other end simultaneously.
Many drivers from eastern Bartholomew County utilized County Road 450N, also known as Nortonburg Road, as their preferred detour to get back and forth to Columbus.
