By James Feichtner
Zionsville Road should see improvements at its 96th Street intersection beginning this summer. In collaboration with the City of Indianapolis and the Town of Zionsville, the Boone County Redevelopment Commission will utilize tax increment financing funds to upgrade the intersection and help traffic flow.
“If you’ve driven that intersection, you realize that the road needs patching, to begin with. The east and west sections of 96th Street don’t line up as they come into that intersection, and the north and south (lanes) of Zionsville Road backs up a long ways in the morning and evening commute,” Boone County RDC’s Tom Lingafelter said.
Road patching, the realignment of 96th Street and north and south through lanes are among the improvements to be made. Zionsville will remain in control of the design and construction process, which is expected to be complete by the end of the year.
“We think we’ll be ready for bidding and construction in early summer and be able to work on that intersection over the summer and get it all done this year,” Lingafelter said.
The funds come from the county’s TIF district at northeast corner of the intersection, which will fully fund the project.
“We can only spend TIF money in or benefitting that TIF area,” Lingafelter said. “We’ve able to generate that money, cash, to do that, so that we’re not going to the taxpayers and we’re not having to issue debt to do that.”
For the surrounding businesses and stakeholders of the intersection, Lingafelter said the improvements are welcomed.
“I don’t see any issues there,” Lingafelter said. “Every one of the landowners that we’ve talked to said that they couldn’t wait til we got the traffic improved in that area.”
