Planners continue refining their recommendations for future upgrades to U.S. 30, east of State Road 49. The Indiana Department of Transportation has released a draft level 3 screening report for its ProPEL U.S. 30 study.
"In our particular study area, there are over 150 driveways with direct access to U.S. 30, many of which do not meet INDOT's access management guidelines," project manager Scott Sandstrom with CDM Smith told the Porter County Commissioners on Tuesday. "So while these driveways are important for access, they can impact safety and operations."
For much of the way from State Road 49 to U.S. 35, planners are recommending what they call an "expressway lite" approach. Sandstrom said that would allow for the free flow of traffic, while still allowing right turns in and out of driveways.
"This was a direct response to public comment we've received in previous times during the study," Sandstrom noted.
In Porter County, an "expressway lite" option could involve closing an intersection, restricting turns at some others, building two overpasses and adding an interchange at County Road 400 East. Wanatah could get an interchange at U.S. 30 and U.S. 421. The only segments where a full freeway is a preferred option are in Plymouth, Warsaw and east Whitley County.
Porter County Commissioner Jim Biggs said upgrades are needed, as an increase in traffic has made U.S. 30 more dangerous. "If you grew up here, the traffic from Plymouth this way was nothing 20 years ago, hardly," Biggs said during Tuesday's commissioners meeting. "Now it's very busy."
Still, Sandstrom stressed that no final decisions have been made. Instead, the study is meant to provide INDOT with a range of options for future calls for projects.
"Given the needs identified within this study, a reasonable range could consist of improvements at a single intersection," Sandstrom explained. "It could also consist of improvements at multiple intersections and/or the roadway sections."
The ProPEL U.S. 30 project team is accepting public comments on the draft study through December 13. Members will also be available to meet with the public on Monday, December 2 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Valparaiso Fire Training Station on Evans Avenue. They plan to release their final study report early next year.
