LEGAL NOTICE OF

PLANNED IMPROVEMENT

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is developing plans for the proposed State Road (SR) 135 small structure replacement over an unnamed tributary of the Middle Fork of Salt Creek, approximately 12.7 miles north of the SR 135/SR 58 junction, located in Brown County.  The total project length is about 0.08 mile.

The proposed project will replace the existing structure on essentially the same location with a structure featuring modern safety and structural standards.  The new proposed structure will be a precast three-sided concrete culvert with and a span of 20 feet.  The total project length is 415 feet along SR 135.  The roadway is proposed to be consisted of two 10 foot lanes and 4 foot shoulders and raised throughout the project length at a maximum of 1.5 feet to improve the sight distance.  Susie Ayres Road (a public road), that intersects SR 135 from the north about 120 feet east of the new structure, is also proposed to be raised a maximum of 2 feet to improve the intersection sight distance.  The south leg of this intersection is proposed to have a reconstructed farm field entrance.  New guardrail will be place along both sides of SR 135 with nested guardrail used along the new structure. 

Construction of the project will require approximately 1.36 acres of new permanent right-of-way.  No displacement of residents or businesses will be involved with this project.  Traffic is proposed to be detoured onto the official state routes using portions of SR 46, I-65 and SR 58 during the construction period; however, local routes may be used by local traffic.

Total cost of the project is estimated at $600,000.  At present, we are planning to use both state and federal funds for construction of the project.  However construction of the project is contingent upon available funding.

The Federal Highway Administration and the Indiana Department of Transportation have agreed that this project falls within the guidelines of a Categorical Exclusion Level 2 with no effect to wetlands.

Preliminary design plans, along with the environmental document and other information, are being made available for review in the following offices.

1. Planning Department, Indiana Department of Transportation Seymour District at 185 Agrico Lane, Seymour, Indiana 47274, Phone # 1-877-305-7611

  2. Hearings Examiner, Room N642 of the Indiana Government Center North, 100 North Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2216, Phone # (317) 234-0796

  All interested persons may request a public hearing or express their concerns by submitting comments to the attention of Mary Wright, Public Hearing Examiner at INDOT, Room N642, 100 North Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2216 on or before Thursday, March 15, 2011.

If a hearing is determined to be in the best interest of the public, a notice will be advertised with the date, time, and place.  Otherwise, any comments or materials received for the record will be considered in the decision-making process.

This notice is published in compliance with Code of Federal Regulations, Title 23, Section 771 (CFR 771.111(h)(1) states: “Each State must have procedures approved by the FHWA to carry out a public involvement/public hearing program.”  23 CFR 450.212(a)(7) states: “Public involvement procedures shall provide for periodic review of the effectiveness of the public involvement process to ensure that the process provides full and open access to all and revision of the process as necessary.”, approved by the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation on April 1, 2009.

12-066   31549393     2/29 & 3/7/2012