Miami County asks INDOT to accelerate US 31 construction

Carson Gerber, Kokomo Tribune, Ind.
·3 min read

Dec. 1—PERU — Miami County officials are asking the state to accelerate construction on new interchanges on U.S. 31 following a infusion of federal money from the new infrastructure package approved by Congress.

County commissioners last month signed a resolution urging the Indiana Department of Transportation to consider a section of the highway to be the next major area for upgrades.

The resolution asks the state to build new full-on interchanges at Indiana 18, 800 South and Indiana 218 West. It also requests the construction of overpasses at 900 South in Miami County and 600 North in Howard County.

The request comes after INDOT in January announced it was pulling plans to construct J-turns at six intersections on U.S. 31 after receiving fierce pushback from local residents and officials.

Instead, the state launched a new study to reevaluate how to alter the intersections to meet INDOT's long-term goal of turning U.S. 31 into a free-flowing highway with no traffic lights.

Jim Tidd, executive director of the Miami County Economic Development Authority, said the study will take two years to complete, but certain projects could be built now using federal dollars awarded to the state.

That funding includes $8.8 billion coming to INDOT over the next five years from the infrastructure bill passed last month. Most of that money will be used on repairs and improvements on roads, highways and bridges. The state has also received billions in funding from the American Rescue Plan that could be used toward road projects.

Tidd said officials hope the resolution puts the U.S. 31 section running from Indiana 18 to Indiana 218 West at the forefront of new projects considered by the state that could be built now as INDOT completes its study of the corridor.

"We've looked at what makes sense," he said. " ... We're suggesting that next segment of U.S. 31 be considered for accelerated construction now."

The state still plans to build full-on interchanges at Indiana 18 and Business 31 heading into Peru. Construction is set to begin in 2023 and will be funded through Gov. Eric Holcomb's Next Level Connections program, according to INDOT's website.

Tidd said the interchanges and overpasses proposed by the resolution would prepare the county for future economic growth along the highway and make it safer for drivers.

He said the proposed improvements are on par with other U.S. 31 upgrades in other counties and make more sense than installing J-turns.

"With the improvements that have already been done up and down U.S. 31, we should have the same opportunity for growth just like any other community in the state," Tidd said. "J-turns are not planning for growth. That's just trying to maintain what you have."

The resolution marks the most recent chapter in the yearslong discussion on what kind of improvements to U.S. 31 would turn it into a free-flowing highway through Miami County.

The state first proposed installing J-turns in 2017, when INDOT announced plans to eliminate the traffic lights along U.S. 31 at the intersections of Indiana 218 West and Indiana 18 and install J-turns.

That proposal drew unanimous and fierce criticism from residents, county officials and state legislators during an hourslong public hearing, which led INDOT to pull the project.

INDOT then proposed building six J-turns in the county, which again drew unanimous pushback from the county, leading INDOT to kill the project and go back to the drawing board.

Carson Gerber can be reached at 765-854-6739, carson.gerber@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter @carsongerber1.