Indianapolis gears up for busy construction season
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Mayor Joe Hogsett announcing the 2024 roadwork agenda yesterday. Photo: Justin L. Mack/Axios
Indianapolis city officials this week kicked off a busy 2024 road construction season slated to improve hundreds of miles of roadway and more than 60 miles of pedestrian-dedicated pathways.
Why it matters: In many areas of the city, streets and sidewalks are in poor condition, and these projects — part of Mayor Joe Hogsett's five-year $1.17 billion capital improvement plan — will bring significant upgrades to Indy's transportation and stormwater infrastructure.
Zoom in: The work includes investing $25 million in residential streets and $2 million in alleys.
- It also includes the nearly $20 million conversion of Michigan and New York streets to two-way traffic between College Avenue and Ellenberger Park.
- Work on that project began Monday and is expected to be finished by the end of the year.
- "This $20 million project has it all," Hogsett said. "Protected bike lanes. Rehabbed sidewalks. And it will encourage safer speeds for drivers along dense corridors."
Other big projects like the $15 million improvement of the 16th Street bridge over White River, the $23.2 million Union Station bridge rehabilitation and $14.6 million in streetscape work along 10th and Rural streets will start later this year.
The big picture: According to the Department of Public Works, this construction season will add 243 lane miles of new or rehabilitated streets and 21 miles of bike lanes.
- Sidewalks and stormwater are the major focuses though. Nearly $90 million is being spent on sidewalks and trails this season, and more than $63 million has been allocated to stormwater.
By the numbers: Crews are also working on:
- Adding 2,232 new ADA ramps
- 19 bridge rehabilitation projects
- Planting 644 new trees
What they're saying: Indy DPW Director Brandon Herget said "while no one is happy to see all the orange barrels," he is amazed at the current level of infrastructure investment.
- "We know our city has challenges. Our infrastructure is old and doesn't match the current needs and desires of our residents," Herget said. "But getting all of our residents more safely from point A to point B is the number one directive."
What we're watching: The calendar. When it's all said and done, this season will see DPW take on a total of 14 sidewalk projects, 22 stormwater projects, 62 transportation projects and two strip patching jobs based on the current projections.
- But as we all know, Indiana weather isn't interested in keeping construction deadlines.