Railroad repairs to cause closures

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HANCOCK COUNTY — Several main thoroughfares throughout the county will be closed for road repairs in coming weeks, which local officials expect will lead to traffic delays.

Workers from CSX, a railway corporation, have scheduled repairs to railroad overpasses in both Fortville and McCordsville. Crews will replace worn wooden and rubber panels on the tracks, which have deteriorated from regular use over the last several years, local officials said.

Just outside of McCordsville’s town limits, a roughly half-mile portion of County Road 500W is scheduled to close Monday for repairs. The closure will run from State Road 67 to County Road 900N, and traffic will be diverted around a detour along County Road 600W.

On April 1, County Road 600W — one of the area’s most heavily traveled corridors — will be closed from State Road 67 to County Road 800N. Posted signs will detour traffic around the construction, but McCordsville town engineer Mark Witsman expects construction to disrupt traffic through town.

More than 12,000 cars travel along County Road 600W daily, Witsman said, adding that the repairs likely will cause backups in the area.

While CSX is covering the majority of costs for the repairs, the Town of McCordsville is paying $35,000 for rubberized panels to be installed, as opposed to traditional wood panels and asphalt, which deteriorate more quickly.

The rubber panels will make the crossing smoother for passing traffic, Witsman said.

Both repairs are scheduled to take roughly a week to complete.

Gary Pool, engineer for the Hancock County Highway Department, said the railroad crossing over County Road 400W also is scheduled to be repaired later in the year, but a date hasn’t been set, he said.

In Fortville, Madison Street is scheduled to be closed for construction beginning April 11.

The repair is expected to take roughly a week to complete, said town manager Joe Renner.

Madison Street, which turns into State Road 13 outside town limits, carries a lot of semi-trailer traffic, Renner said, adding that he hopes to divert trucks away from small local roadways.

Once construction begins, signs will be posted around town to direct drivers.

In late May, the overpass along Garden Street in Fortville is also scheduled to be repaired, Renner said.

Detours for both Fortville repairs have not yet been determined but will be announced in coming weeks.