Work Will Limit Stretch of Ind. 37 to Two Lanes Through Christmas

By Kurt Van Der Dussen, Herald-Times, Bloomington, Ind.

Apr. 21–If you drive Ind. 37 between Bloomington and Lawrence County, you’ve already noticed lane closings for pending construction.

Get used to it. Ind. 37 between Dillman Road and the Lawrence County line — about 7.3 miles — will be one lane each way from now until Christmas.

The Indiana Department of Transportation has a $15.5 million contract with Rogers Group to rebuild the road.

According to Rogers Group vice president Greg Gould, the highway will be operating with all traffic on one side of the highway or the other while the unused side is ground up. The broken-up surface will become the base for 12 inches of new pavement.

“It’s reconstruction only. We’re improving what’s already there. We’re not adding any lanes,” Gould said of the project.

While the work is ongoing, there is a 45 mph construction zone speed limit for the stretch. Warning zones on each approach make the stretch of affected highway about 8 miles.

When reconstruction is completed, the project still won’t be done.

During the first half of 2007, the Rogers crews face a big ground-moving effort.

According to INDOT’s on-site project manager, Dave Cupps, new federal highway regulations require projects to include a 25-foot safety zone beyond the paved shoulder, with a slope that can’t fall more than 1 foot for every 5 feet of length.

Cupps said that will require a lot of fill in some places to eliminate slopes close to the highway. It will involve moving back slopes or rock cuts in other places.

“That’s why the contract is so high,” Cupps said of the $15.5 million price tag, which is quite a bit higher than it would be for rebuilding 7.3 miles of road over flat land.

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