INDOT U.S. 231 relocation

Project Summary

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) chose Hanson to provide engineering services for the relocation of U.S. 231, including bridge, highway and traffic design; surveying; permitting; coordinating stakeholder, utility and railroad components; and preparing contracts and bids.

Hanson conducted a hydrogeology investigation to evaluate the potential risk of road salt runoff to an adjoining manufacturer’s process water supply well field. Hanson also performed a wetland mitigation, designing a stream and wetland compensation plan that allowed for the replacement of the project’s unavoidable impacts. The mitigation provided for the replacement of five streams and 12 wetlands.

Late in the design process, the project’s intended constructed wetland mitigation site was determined to be inadequate. The discovery was an obstacle, but the Hanson team quickly adjusted, locating suitable privately owned land, designing a new mitigating wetland and acquiring the necessary permits. All the changes were completed without delaying the project letting. When the need arose to reduce the project’s overall budget, Hanson collaborated with INDOT and other stakeholders to reduce the scope of services through value engineering, evaluating and selectively incorporating cost-saving measures into the design. Ultimately, the effort saved approximately $7 million.

This project was part of a larger plan to extend the relocated U.S. 231 north to U.S. 52 and improve U.S. 231 from Interstate 70 in southwest Indiana to I-65 in northwest Indiana. Hanson participated in a portion of the project that involved designing and constructing a four-lane, divided, limited-access suburban expressway on a new alignment of U.S. 231. The alignment extends from the Wabash River crossing through Purdue University’s campus to Indiana State Route 26 (State Street) in West Lafayette, Indiana.

To achieve the grade separation needed for bridges and two at-grade railroad crossings, Hanson designed substantial lengths of the relocated U.S. 231 and Intramural Drive. Bridges included a two-span, 206-foot-long, steel, through-girder bridge to carry the Kankakee, Beaverville and Southern Railroad over the new U.S. 231 roadway. Hanson also designed a three-span, 179-foot-long, concrete slab bridge to carry U.S. 231 over UNT to the Wabash River.

Hanson addressed several additional improvements that were proposed during the project, including roadway upgrades, traffic signal installation, bike lane and sidewalk design, bridge design and construction for two stream crossings and retaining wall design and construction.