On July 13, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb announced the first five years of funding for the 20-year Next Level Roads initiative.
During that time, the state is estimated to spend $4.7 billion in infrastructure investments.
Morgan County will see more than $286 million in investment, one of the highest of any county in the state.
“With a fully-funded plan in place for the next 20 years, Hoosiers can rest assured that Indiana will remain the Crossroads of America for generations to come. I thank our lawmakers for their committed leadership to make this possible, and I commend INDOT for working hard to identify key projects so that we could be ready to roll with this five-year plan so quickly,” Holcomb said in a press release.
It is estimated about $263 million of the money invested in state highways in Morgan County will go to the Interstate 69 project.
Part of the announcement of the initiative included allocated money for Section 6 of the I-69 project, which runs from Martinsville to Indianapolis, according to Lamar Holliday with INDOT.
“Gov. Holcomb’s Next Level roads plan allocates more than $550 million in fiscal years 2018-2022,” Holliday said in an email.
For now, the Section 6 team is on track to complete the Final Environmental Impact Statement in the first quarter of 2018.
“We can finish our environmental work and preconstruction activities with the assurance that construction dollars will be available when we’re ready to start building this roadway,” Holliday said in an email.
According to Holliday, it is INDOT’s goal to finish what was started and they believe the governor’s plan will help them do that.
The following is a list of the construction projects set in Morgan County from 2018 through 2022:
2018
Upgrading Ind. 37 to I-69 in Martinsville. Small structure pipe lining 4.19 miles west of Ind. 39 on I-70. Bridge thin deck overlay on Ind. 39 0.01 miles east of Ind. 67. Bridge thin deck overlay on Ind. 67 at Lambs Creek, 1.55 miles south of Ind. 39. Small structure pipe lining about 4.5 miles north of Ind. 39 on Ind. 67.
2019
Upgrading Ind. 37 to I-69 in Martinsville. Hot mix asphalt overlay and preventative maintenance on Ind. 39 from Ind. 37 to south junction of Ind. 67. Bridge replacement, concrete on Ind. 39, 1.25 miles north of Ind. 67 over branch of Highland Creek. Replace superstructure on Ind. 44, four miles east of Ind. 37 over fork of Clear Creek. Small structure paved invert about 1.35 miles south of Sycamore Creek on Ind. 67.
2020
Upgrading Ind. 37 to I-69 in Martinsville. Bridge thin deck overlay on Ind. 42 over White Lick Creek, 0.07 miles west of Ind. 67. Bridge thin deck overlay on Ind. 42 over Little White Lick Creek, 2.36 miles west of Ind. 39. Bridge thin deck overlay on northbound Ind. 67 over Moons Branch of Silon Creek, 1.7 miles north of Ind. 144. Bridge thin deck overlay on southbound Ind. 67 over Moons Branch of Silon Creek 1.7 miles north of Ind. 144. Deck replacement on Ind. 37 about 6 miles north of Ind. 44. Bridge rehabilitation or repair on Ind. 135, 0.33 miles south of Ind. 252 at Indian Creek. Hot mix asphalt overlay, preventative maintenance on Ind. 144 from Ind. 67 to Ind. 37. Bridge deck overlay on Ind. 44 about 5 miles east of Ind. 37 over the south prong of Stotts Creek.
2021
Upgrading Ind. 37 to I-69 in Martinsville. Pavement replacement on Ind. 42 from about half a mile west of Ind. 267 to Ind. 67. Replace superstructure on Ind. 67 0.1 mile south of Ind. 144 over Little White Lick Creek.
2022
Upgrade Ind. 37 to I-69 in Martinsville. Culvert replacement on Ind. 42 over unnamed ditch/creek.