Lebanon approved road closures around the Eli Lilly expansion project in Boone County on Monday evening with a projected start date of Sept. 18.
Lebanon City Engineer Kevin Krulik approached the Board of Works and Public Safety on Monday evening to discuss upcoming road closures around the LP1 Eli Lilly site, a $2.1 billion project for Indiana’s LEAP Lebanon Innovation and Research District site in Boone County.
Phase 1 of the road closures is expected to begin on Sept. 18 and run through Sept. 25 with road closures of 375 North from Witt Road to State Road 39 and North Witt Road from 450 North to State Road 47. The areas will remain open to local traffic for residences in the construction area, and site access on 450 North will remain open for Lilly office staff. South Witt Road and 300 North will remain open during the first phase of the project.
“Phase 1 is not a one-week phase,” Krulik said. “It doesn’t open back up on the 25th, but when we get to the 25th, we get into the next phase–the next phase of closures. So, on the 25th, they’re anticipating–this is pending permits from IDEM–to start on the work at 52 and 300 North.”
Phase 2 of the road closures is expected to begin on Sept. 25 and run through Oct. 20 pending permits from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, and work will begin at the intersection of 300 North and U.S. 52. During phase 2, left turn lanes from 300 North westbound toward U.S. 52 will be closed, and left turn lanes from southbound U.S. 52 toward 300 North will be closed. Vehicles will only be permitted to conduct right turns onto U.S. 52 from 300 North and onto 300 North from U.S. 52 to accommodate Indiana Department of Transportation requirements. Krulik stated that at least one lane will remain open during the phase for both southbound and northbound traffic on U.S. 52. 375 North and North Witt Road will remain closed during phase 2.
“So, they’re adding a lane of traffic and some turning radius on 300,” Krulik said. “They’re adding a turn lane on 52 for those southbound to eastbound traffic turning left. Right now, you turn in the inside lane of 52. There will be a new lane that you will turn from, and there will be two through lanes, and then they’re doing some work to widen that median crossing to accommodate the truck traffic that will be coming through there.”
Between phase 2 and phase 3, an overnight concrete pour will be completed on the LP1 site beginning early in the morning and progressing for upwards of 16 hours.
Phase 3 is expected to begin on Oct. 23 and run through Nov. 14 with progressions at the intersection of 300 North and U.S. 52. During phase 3, crews will close the eastbound lane of 300 North to widen the road and cross the road with storm sewer pipes. Vehicles will only be permitted to travel westbound during the phase. Krulik stated that the left turn restrictions will be lifted and new median turn lanes will be complete during phase 3. 375 North and North Witt Road will remain closed during phase 3.
During the weekend of Oct. 28, spanning from Saturday through Sunday, crews will commence phase 3A where all lanes of 300 North will be closed to complete the crossing of storm sewer pipes. The phase is expected to be completed within the two-day timeframe. 375 North and North Witt Road will remain closed during phase 3A.
Phase 4 is expected to begin on Nov. 20 and run through Dec. 5 and will address the intersection of 300 North and State Road 39. The phase is slated to begin following the completion of road improvements and temporary signal installations at the intersection of 300 North and U.S. 52, and 300 North will be reopened. During phase 4, access on State Road 39 will remain open, but crews will be widening the east side of the road to implement new left turn lanes and install temporary signals. 375 North and North Witt Road will remain closed during phase 4.
“It just goes back to after that the reconstructions on 375 and North Witt Road will be under construction,” Krulik said. “Through the winter, (it will be) hopefully wrapping up. If not, with weather not allowing, it will probably go into spring before they wrap those up. No other closures will happen until those are complete, and then we will be looking at South Witt Road closing for that construction, but not until after 375 and North Witt Road are complete.”
The board unanimously approved the intersection improvements and temporary signals at the intersections of 300 North. Krulik stated that temporary signals are expected to be placed at the intersection of South Witt Road and 300 North, which is currently an intersection under county jurisdiction. However, Krulik stated that recent petitions may cause the jurisdiction to change.
“With the current annexation petitions that are before us, that may change if those annexations are approved,” Krulik said. “That would include annexation of property adjacent to that intersection and the adjacent rights of way would come with those annexations.”
Lebanon Mayor Matt Gentry stated that State Road 47 would likely be the detour for those seeking alternative routes to 300 North during the restrictions and closures. Krulik concurred.
“A lot of the construction traffic is going to be using 47 whether it’s going all the way back around to 300 to get access with those restrictions on 300 or hopefully around the end of the year, the 47 exits also open back up, but I don’t have a confirmation from INDOT on when that’s going to happen,” Krulik said.
Krulik stated that construction dates have been subject to change as the project draws near. Stay tuned to Boone County Daily News for updates as the project progresses.