FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP — If you live in or drive around Franklin Township, it's a familiar sight: You're driving down the road and come across a 'road closed' sign. That's because a couple of the major intersections are closed right now, for summer road work.
"We've had traffic issues for quite some time. The city's been behind," said Jeff Piety, a long-time Franklin Township resident.
To help with those problems, Franklin Township is jumping on the Carmel roundabout wagon.
"We're growing fast down here, and we need these roundabouts, we need them yesterday," said Piety.
Four intersections will be transformed—two at a time—between now and October. These transformations are part of an upwards of $3 million Indianapolis Department of Public Works project, which is part of a greater $400 million infrastructure investment over the next four years to rehabilitate bridges, rebuild roads and increase pedestrian safety.
"It'll help the traffic. But they've waited so long, and they've got stuff going on everywhere, and it's just kind of hard to get around here for the next few months," said John Fengya, who lives in Franklin Township.
First up are the intersections of Arlington Avenue and Edgewood Avenue, and the intersection of Franklin Road and Edgewood Avenue, leaving these major arteries closed. These closures, in turn, make car rides anything but a joy.
"Just kind of an inconvenience," said Fengya.
With these closures, traffic is being funneled to other major roads, such as Thompson, Southport and Hickory Roads, and Emerson Avenue.
Detour routes for the Arlington Avenue and Edgewood Avenue include using Emerson Avenue to Thompson Road for east and westbound travel; or going west onto Thompson, to southbound on Emerson, to eastbound on Southport (and vice versa) for north and southbound travel.
Detour routes for the Franklin Road and Edgewood Avenue closure are to use Hickory Road to Thompson Road for east or westbound travel, or going east onto Thompson to southbound on Hickory Road to westbound on Southport Road (and vice versa) for north and southbound travel.
"It's a little bit of a burden on everything, people cutting through neighborhoods, that kind of thing. It's a little bit of an inconvenience, but we'll get through it. Like always," said Piety.
Though these problems might cause inconveniences, the key is to look forward.
"Hand it to the mayor and [Brian] Mowery, our city councilman. We're getting it done and planning for the future out here," said Piety.
The hope is for these first two projects to wrap up by August.
The next two intersections to be transformed are the intersection of Franklin Road and Thompson Road and the intersection of Arlington Avenue and Shelbyville Road. These projects will begin in August and will be complete by October.
