A 13-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 31 in the busy north side of Indianapolis has tested the rush-hour nerves of many Hoosier motorists, but they will soon find relief as crews finish upgrades intended to align the corridor with freeway standards and shave 30 minutes off the time required to drive from Carmel to South Bend, Ind.
The rebuilding of the growing Hamilton County corridor, which on average handles up to 75,000 vehicles per day, is sprinting toward the finish line. Indiana Dept. of Transportation planned the project for more than a decade and studied the corridor even longer. When it started early construction in 2011, the state originally proposed finishing in 2018. Contractors now are on target to reach substantial completion by the end of this year within 5% of the state's estimated construction budget of $358.6 million. Accelerated design and construction sped up the job, state officials say.