Pavement, Bridge Replacements to Close U.S. 421 near Napoleon and Osgood Next Month

The project is slated to start on or after April 1.

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(Ripley County, Ind.) - Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Dave O'Mara Contractor Inc. plans to close U.S. 421 in early April to begin work on two construction contracts, totaling nearly $7 million in Decatur and Ripley Counties. Work includes pavement replacement between Napoleon and Osgood, and bridge replacements over Vernon Fork Muscatatuck River and Laughery Creek.

Pavement Replacement -  U.S. 421 between Napoleon and Osgood
On or after Friday, April 1, U.S. 421 is scheduled to close just south of Napoleon for crews to complete pavement removal, patching and replacement. The contractor will work form north to south, closing U.S. 421 in sections. 

• On/after Friday, April 1: U.S. 421 between C.R. 850 N. and C.R. 750 N. (Section A)
• Spring/summer 2022: U.S. 421 between C.R. 750 N. and C.R. 600 N. (Section B)
• Summer 2022: U.S. 421 between C.R. 600 N. and C.R. 450 N. (Section C)

Intermediate paving is expected to be complete in the three sections south of Napoleon by early July. Pavement will also be replaced under closures between Wilson Street and C.R. 850 N. in Napoleon. Local access only will be maintained via the north end of each work zone. The south end of each closure will be closed to all traffic. Toward the end of the project, the contractor will complete final surface paving and striping under lane closures with flagging.

Bridge Replacements - U.S. 421 over Vernon Fork Muscatatuck River and Laughery Creek
On or after Monday, April 4, Dave O'Mara plans to close U.S. 421 over Vernon Fork Muscatatuck River in Decatur County, to complete the first of two bridge replacements. The bridge is located just over five miles north of S.R. 229 (Napoleon) and is expected to remain closed through early July.

Construction on U.S. 421 over Laughery Creek in Napoleon is scheduled to begin in July. The bridge is expected to remain closed through late October. Traffic will be directed to the official detour route during all closures (S.R. 229 to S.R. 48 to S.R. 129 to S.R. 350).

Both contracts were awarded to Dave O'Mara last year for a total of $6,990,868.79. INDOT reminds drivers to use extra caution, avoid distractions, and consider worker safety when driving through active construction zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.