McCORDSVILLE — A raised-curb and grassed median is slated for about a half-mile stretch of Broadway on the west entrance into town.
The McCordsville Town Council approved a bid of $289,411.10 for the project from Indianapolis-based CC&T Construction Co., Inc. earlier this month. It was the lower of two bids submitted to the town for the project.
Ryan Crum, McCordsville’s director of planning and building, said the median will span between County Road 700W and Gateway Crossing Boulevard. He added the project will start in spring or summer 2021.
Broadway in that area has two lanes for eastbound traffic and two lanes for westbound traffic, and much of the stretch is split by a center turn lane. The project will not result in the loss of any traffic lanes, Crum said, adding the median will run down the center of the road with openings for left turns at 700W, Gateway Crossing Boulevard and an entrance to Meijer.
Two locations on Broadway in the area currently aim to increase safety by calling for traffic to only turn right in to and only turn right out of commercial properties — another entrance to Meijer and an entrance to McCordsville Marketplace. Drivers can ignore instructions, however, and turn left, posing a danger to themselves and other motorists. Crum said the median will help prevent left turns in those areas, increasing safety.
Paul Casey, McCordsville police chief, agreed.
“In ideal situations, crossing four lanes of traffic is best done at controlled intersections when available,” Casey told the Daily Reporter in an email. “While speed limits have been reduced over the years, I can only imagine that having a barrier between opposing lanes in a high-traffic area will also at least provide some additional protection from vehicle accidents crossing over into opposing traffic.”
Medians also tend to have a calming effect on traffic overall, Crum said.
There’s an aesthetic motivation for the project as well.
“That is a gateway into our community, the biggest from the west side of town,” Crum said. “We do kind of want to make it a clear demarcation that this is now McCordsville, and this median is the first step toward doing that.”
He added the town will likely consider adding landscaping to the median in the future and possibly additional welcome signage as well.
The town is paying for the project out of its motor vehicle highway fund.
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McCordsville median project
- Raised curb, grassed
- On Broadway between County Road North 700W and Gateway Crossing Boulevard (about a half-mile)
- $289,411.10
Source: Town of McCordsville
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