HANCOCK COUNTY — The door for significantly improving traffic safety along U.S. 52 has been closed for the next several years by the Indiana Department of Transportation.
Town leaders recently met with INDOT officials to discuss an $8 million repaving project slated for 2022 with the hope of adding some turn lanes or bypass “blisters” along the busy highway. The impending project, which will include resurfacing and improved handicap-accessible ramps at cross streets in town, won’t by itself address the larger issues, New Pal officials say.
Town officials said they were not asking for much, maybe an increase of $400,000 to the project to add a blister or maybe turn lanes at County Road 550W and in front of the library to help avoid accidents at those congested locations.
“Looks like the soonest they said we can get anything done safety-wise on U.S. 52 is 2027,” said town manager Jim Robinson, who attended the meeting with town council member Angie Fahrnow and street supervisor Steve Pool. Representing INDOT were Clark Packer, a deputy commissioner; Luis Laracuemte, district traffic engineer; Jacob Phillips, director of program management; and Mallory Duncan, public information specialist for INDOT.
State officials explained budgets and projects are set for specific needs several years out and cannot be altered due to financial constraints.
The only bright note, Robinson said, was that INDOT officials were somewhat receptive to reducing the speed limit along U.S. 52 on the west side of town. An INDOT official was in town July 8 to study traffic speeds between County Roads 500W and 600W. Town officials would like to see the limit lowered to 30 mph. It’s now 45 mph.
Fahrnow feels INDOT needs to be more proactive. She said there is no time to wait for traffic and environmental studies when accidents are occurring on a regular basis.
“I’m incredibly disappointed after going to the table with INDOT with our concerns for safety issues in town limits and being told there is no money in the budget even though they know about all the accidents and issues on that road,” Fahrnow said.
Fahrnow asked INDOT whether the town could acquire land and build a blister or two itself. She said she received a positive response, but noted INDOT officials said any proposed work on U.S. 52 would have to be approved by INDOT.
“They were all on board with us forking the money over to make the road safer,” Fahrnow said. “I’m not sure what is going to happen, but I know locally we’re going to do everything we can to make that road safer for our residents.”
Robinson still plans to submit an official engineering plan to INDOT to make sure state officials have documentation of all the safety measures town officials feel the road needs now.
The town council gave Robinson permission to spend up to $5,000 on the engineering plan.
Calls to INDOT officials were not returned.
