The US 20 Section 2 Project includes:

• Reconstruction of existing 2-lane US 20 to a 5-lane cross-section including a 14-foot Two-Way Left-Turn Lane (TWLTL), two 12-foot travel lanes in each direction, and two 10-foot paved shoulders.
  • The addition of a TWLTL will remove left turning vehicles from live traffic.
  • The addition of a through lane in each direction will increase the capacity of the roadway while also facilitating ingress/egress movements for trucks accessing the industrial businesses between Wayne Street (CR 16) and Orpha Drive (CR 22).
  • The 10-foot paved shoulders are wide enough to safely accommodate horse drawn buggy traffic and will be specifically designed to support long term buggy traffic without forming ruts.
• Sidewalks will be added on the north side of US 20 from Northridge High School to Wayne Street (CR 16) and on the south side of US 20 between Westlake Drive and Spring Valley Road to provide separation between vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
• A High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk Beacon (HAWK Beacon) will be installed in the vicinity of the Northridge Middle School and Northridge High School to provide a pedestrian crossing and increase pedestrian safety.
• The existing 4-way traffic signal at the Intersection of US 20 and County Road 16 (Wayne Street) will be upgraded to include a more gradual horizontal curve to improve safety, and a new traffic signal to reduce congestion.
• Upgrading the roadway drainage system to meet current INDOT standards. The upgrades, which will more efficiently and effectively handle stormwater runoff, include the use of underground pipes and detention facilities to minimize the impacts to adjacent property owners.  

• The purpose of the US 20 Section 2 project is to:
  • Reduce the number of rear end crashes on the facility.
  • Reduce traffic congestion and improve traffic mobility in the horizon year of 2044.
  • Address the traffic demand anticipated by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).
  • Correct the undesirable horizontal and vertical geometry to increase the sight distance at the curve near Wayne Street (CR16) to meet or exceed INDOT design criteria for a 50-mph design speed.
  • Improve the drainage condition of the road to meet current INDOT standards.
  • Provide adequate separation between pedestrians and vehicles, and provide appropriate pedestrian crossings based on known origins and destinations.
  • Provide adequate separation between buggies and vehicles.
  • Improve ingress/egress routes for trucks accessing industrial businesses adjacent to US 20.

As part of the project development process, INDOT is conducting the environmental studies and documentation as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for federally-funded transportation projects. As part of the studies, INDOT identified several transportation needs throughout the corridor. These needs include reducing traffic congestion, as well as addressing the high number of crashes in the corridor, improving the geometric and drainage deficiencies, and considering the needs of the local community.  

To address the identified needs, INDOT looked at a range of alternative solutions, including:

• Adding a TWTL to the existing two lanes roadway;
• Adding one additional travel lane in each direction, a center TWTL, and open ditches for drainage;
• Adding one additional travel lane in each direction, a center TWTL, and curbs and gutters for drainage; and
• Doing nothing to the existing roadway (referred to as the no-build alternative).  

After analyzing multiple factors, INDOT determined that adding one additional travel lane in each direction, a center TWTL, and curbs and gutters for drainage was the best potential solution. The factors considered by INDOT in arriving at this decision included:

• Ability to address the identified transportation needs in the project corridor.
• The effects, both positive and negative, on the human and natural environments.
• The feedback received from the public and project stakeholders, such as the Amish community and property owners, during the environmental study process.    

The no-build alternative, which includes making no improvements to the roadway between CR 35 and SR 13, was evaluated by INDOT. However, keeping the existing roadway in its current configuration does not improve safety through the area and does not reduce congestion. 

This project will provide wider shoulders capable of sustained buggy traffic. A plan will also be developed to safely accommodate buggy traffic during construction of the project. These considerations were added to the project as a result of direct coordination with and feedback received by the Amish community in the project area.

Construction is anticipated to start in the Spring of 2024.

INDOT anticipates that land acquisition activities will start in the Spring of 2022, following the approval of the final environmental document. Urban design standards are being used to minimize impacts to the adjacent property owners along the corridor.

The US 20 Section 2 Project is federally funded, which makes it subject to certain federal regulations. One of these regulations, commonly referred to as the Uniform Act, includes the rules that INDOT must follow when purchasing privately owned property to build transportation projects. Further details about the Uniform Act and its requirements can be found at the INDOT Real Estate Website (https://www.in.gov/indot/2698.htm). The US 20 Section 2 Project will require less right-of-way than US 20 Section 1 due to its more narrow overall width. Most of the right-of-way acquisition required will consist of narrow strips of property immediately adjacent to US 20 and temporary right-of-way required for sidewalk, driveway and intersection improvement.  

The project will require widening of the existing culvert structure that carries the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail under US 20. During construction, a detour will be used to allow the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail to remain open to the public.

Due to the widening of the roadway, the Ridge Run Trail will also need to be reconstructed and realigned as part of the project. This work will occur early in the construction work and in a way that will allow the Ridge Run Trail to remain open to the public during construction.