Huntingburg Overpass project to go to bid this December

Jim O’Neal, News Director WITZ AM/FM contributed to this report

The City of Huntingburg learned the much-anticipated overpass project is on the state’s docket of projects for 2016.

The project to connect the north and south sides of the city will be let out for construction bidding by this December.

The overpass project announced in June of 2013 will help alleviate the traffic jams created by the approximately 30 trains that pass through town daily. Although not part of the Stellar projects list, the overpass plays a major role in the creation of the Huntingburg Heritage Trail; a walk/run/bike path that will use the overpass to connect the growing residential section on the north side of the city to the downtown area and the city parks.

“While it is not a Stellar project it is the project that is the key that holds a lot of the Stellar items together,” Mayor Denny Spinner said.

The overpass will use 14th Street to bring traffic to U.S. 231. Although no traffic light is planned for that intersection at this time, Spinner did say that a warning light north of 14th Street will alert southbound traffic on U.S. 231 of trains, giving motorists an opportunity to use the overpass.

“We are continuing to work with the designer and we will have a final design to turn into INDOT by the fifth of December,” Mayor Denny Spinner said.

The state has it scheduled to go to bid on December 14 and construction should start in 2017 with the overpass opening in 2018.