Residents turn out for 231 Project Forum

The project, which will extend from the Putnam County Courthouse north to the CSX railroad crossing is expected to begin on March 3.

About 100 residents turned out to the Putnam County Fairgrounds Community Building Monday night to hear officials from INDOT and the City of Greencastle discuss the next phase of the US 231 construction project.

The project, which will extend from the Putnam County Courthouse north to the CSX railroad crossing is expected to begin on March 3 with signage going up and the street closure along Jackson Street taking place. 

While those in attendance showed up with questions about signage and semi traffic, the biggest surprise came when it was announced that the project, which was originally thought to have been done in segments, will feature a complete shutdown of Jackson Street from March until the end of August. 

Greencastle Mayor Lynda Dunbar admitted that was news to her.

INDOT Construction Oversight Consultant Jared Stanek, of American StructurePoint, said there was no way to keep Jackson Street open.

"It had to be changed. The sanitary line became an issue. That sanitary lane is being replaced from Franklin to Liberty and it is in the middle of the road. With the width of the trench and the depth, there was no way to safely install it and keep the traffic open to one way traffic. That is what caused it," Stanek said. 

According to INDOT, the project will begin at the CSX railroad crossing and make its way south down Jackson Street towards the Putnam County Courthouse. Hours of construction will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The project will feature storm sewer, sanitary sewer, and waterline work from March 3 until the end of May and grade work taking place from April 2 through the end of August. 

In addition, INDOT officials cited several tasks remaining on Washington Street, including: sidewalk, curb ramps, manhole lid adjustments, sod and traffic signals. 

Many in attendance hammered both INDOT officials and Dunbar with questions about signage and semi traffic ignoring signs and making their way around Greencastle. 

One resident asked officials when the next meeting would be, prompting INDOT officials to ask for clarification.

"The meeting that is going to say oops we made a mistake shutting this road down, and we forgot to do this. When is the next meeting?," the resident asked.

Officials from INDOT said there would be no other meetings. 

Others asked about more signage and whether or not the city, INDOT and INDOT's construction consultant, American StructurePoint, would enhance ticket writing against semi truck drivers that did not adhere to warnings not to travel into the construction zone.

"At the project level, I don't have a way to control semi traffic. We get a lot of help from the city and the city police officers to control the traffic. I know they had to write tickets last year because semis were using Madison and using it as the new US 231. There were steps taken, but from what I can personally do, I cannot stop these semis. We will put our signs up and work with everyone to try to send the semis where they are supposed to be," Stanek said. 

However, questions continued, causing Dunbar to take over control of the meeting. 

"Last year, if big trucks went off Market Street, you got a ticket. The unofficial detour is Madison, but I need you all to stay on Madison," Dunbar told the truck drivers in the audience. 

As for signage and fines, Dunbar said the city will do both again. 

"I think one of the big issues is I stopped plenty of truck drivers. Theyhey just point to their GPS. We can blanket the city in signs all the way up, and I don't think they understand. We wrote lots of tickets. We have fined them, and given them tickets. They get $250 fines. We've gotten the officers out there, and I've even tracked some of them down," Dunbar said.

Dunbar said the meeting was what she expected. 

"Kind of the same old, same old about we need more signs and semis can't come down the streets and a recap of what happened when we had the streets closed before. We are going to close down Jackson Street and we are going to get the work done. They gave us an August date to get it done. We will see it to believe it, but maybe this time, knowing they are shutting the street down, maybe they can get it done on time," Dunbar told The Putnam County Post. 

Dunbar said residents, as well as her, will be happy if the road work is done at the end of August and the construction is complete.

"I think there will be a lot of happy people in Greencastle. If you haven't been on Jackson Street lately, it is really bad. I think people will be happy when it is done," Dunbar said.