LETTER: Updating Our Roadways

State Rep. Randy Frey says more than $200 million is being put into southeastern Indiana road improvements.

Indiana House District 67 State Rep. Randy Frye, of Greensburg

Road construction and summer months are familiar partners in Indiana. We are continually investing in our state and local roadways and implementing Indiana’s Next Level Roads initiative. Patience is a key component when dealing with road construction. Investing in our infrastructure and making our communities open and accessible to motorists is important for maintaining our status as the Crossroads of America.

Our roads should be sustainable for years to come. Therefore, more than $200 million is being invested in local road and bridge improvements throughout Dearborn, Decatur, Jefferson, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley and Switzerland counties. Last year, communities also received $7.4 million in Community Crossing funds, which are matching grants awarded to Hoosier cities, towns and counties by the Indiana Department of Transportation to invest in infrastructure projects for further economic development, create jobs and strengthen transportation networks.

One major project that is taking place in our community is on Interstate 74 from State Road 101 in Ripley County to the New Point exit in Decatur County. More than $75 million of preservation work will be done to that stretch of road over the next two years. It connects Indianapolis to Cincinnati and is crucial in providing easy access for Hoosiers and visitors alike.

Portions of U.S. Highway 50 running through Jennings, Ripley and Dearborn counties will also be repaved. Construction started this month and is expected to be completed within the next two years.

Bridge updates and repairs are also a huge need within our community. Indiana’s 6,000 bridges are inspected and reported on by INDOT engineers, and if needed, scheduled for upkeep, maintenance or replacement. State Road 1 in Dearborn County is getting two bridge repairs near Guilford this year based on INDOT’s inspection reports. Both are expected to be completed this year. U.S. Highway 421 will also see some bridge maintenance this year in two locations near Versailles and Napoleon.

Our roadways are continuously being improved, and I will continue to make sure that our community can give input on the changes that need to be made to the roads we drive every day. If you have any questions about road construction in our area, please visit www.in.gov/indot. As always, please contact me with questions or input at 317-232-9981 or by email at h67@iga.in.gov. I appreciate hearing from you in order to better represent our district.