Next Phase Begins for Project to Improve Indiana’s Busiest Interstate Corridor
I-80/94 FlexRoad PEL Study Report is complete and available for review
LAKE COUNTY, Ind. - A project to improve traffic flow and safety along Indiana’s busiest interstate corridor is moving to its next phase. 80/94 FlexRoad will identify the best solutions for the I-80/I-94 corridor. Innovative strategies are being developed to help reduce travel time, increase reliability and improve safety. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) study will examine benefits, impacts and costs of those alternatives. The study is required for projects that will receive federal funding.
Strategies being considered include dynamic shoulder lanes, variable speed limits, ramp metering, lane control and queue warning systems. These are known as Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) strategies. Each of the four alternatives recommended for further evaluation in NEPA includes a set of strategies aimed at improving reliability and safety.
The project is along the I-80/I-94 corridor (Borman Expressway) from I-65 in Indiana on the east to IL 394 on the west. The NEPA phase of the project follows a year-long Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL) study conducted by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).
The PEL study determined the purpose and need for the project and developed the alternatives to be studied in greater detail. It was approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in April 2022 and can be accessed here.
The NEPA phase of the project will include detailed analysis of each alternative and collaboration with federal, state and local agencies. Stakeholder engagement and feedback from the public are an important part of the process. The next public meeting is expected this fall.
Find more information about the project at IndianaFlexRoad.com and sign up for project updates to receive the latest news and information. The NEPA study is expected to be finalized in fall 2023.
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Over the past 100 years, INDOT has transformed the state of Indiana into the Crossroads of America we know today. With six district offices and 3,500 employees, the agency is responsible for constructing and maintaining more than 29,000 lane miles of highways, more than 5,700 bridges, and supporting 4,500 rail miles and 117 airports across the state. Indiana once again ranked #1 in the U.S. for infrastructure in CNBC’s 2019 “America’s Top States for Business” ranking. Learn more about INDOT at in.gov/indot.
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On July 1, 2020, Governor Eric J. Holcomb signed the Indiana Hands-Free Law to reduce distracted driving across the state. Since then, drivers have been prohibited from holding a mobile device while their vehicles are in motion. With help from the Indiana State Police and other law enforcement agencies, over 5,400 citations and more than 10,500 warnings have been issued. For more information on Indiana’s Hands-Free Law, visit www.HandsFreeIndiana.com.
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