Commentary by Mayor John Ditslear
This year, Noblesville will have spent more than $2 million on its street rehabilitation projects. Investing in our roads is critical to our residents, public safety and economic development.
While road projects continue as long as weather will allow – including the Boden and Brooks School Road extension and downtown traffic signal upgrade, I want to spend a few minutes focusing on another huge, forthcoming road project facing the city – Indiana 37.
Discussion about the city’s future Pleasant Street plans have been in the news lately, but I see Ind. 37 as the linchpin to other projects. We plan to extend the Midland Trace Trail east beyond 37. Pleasant Street is being designed to create a new east-west corridor with Ind. 37 as the major intersection, and 146th Street will become a roundabout interchange, removing the stoplights in all four directions. By the way, construction on 146th Street is slated to begin in the late 2018.
Fishers is getting all the attention when it comes to Ind. 37, but behind the scenes, we have been working on the northern portion (Greenfield Avenue to the intersection of Ind. 37/32/38). The city has already budgeted $16 million for the project, but that is just the start. Noblesville needs to work with our neighbors and the state for funding options to deliver a free-flowing interchange system to help relieve traffic congestion.
Noblesville is moving forward with an engineering survey and utilities and geotechnical investigation on our portion. We expect to have clearer answers in early 2017, especially when it comes to funding hurdles.
There are still a lot of questions and work to be done before any dirt is turned. Our plan will be shared with the public as soon as more details are available. The city also plans to work with the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce to inform all businesses and residents throughout the process once we have a firm timeline in place.
Mayor John Ditslear has served consecutively as the city’s mayor since 2004. Contact the mayor’s office by calling 317-776-6324 or emailing [email protected].
