Indiana Toll Road Concession Co. announces $200 million road improvement project

Indianapolis — Indiana Governor Mike Pence joined the Indiana Toll Road Concession Co. (ITRCC) to announce that the ITRCC is commencing a $200 million, two-year road improvement project on the Indiana Toll Road that is expected to create hundreds of construction jobs in northern Indiana.

“In Indiana, we’ve made great progress on our standing as the Crossroads of America, and today’s announcement is yet another installment to ensure the quality of our roads and bridges,” said Governor Pence. “As our economy continues to grow with more Hoosiers working than ever before, I am confident that our roads will continue to serve as the arteries of economic development and help Indiana businesses get goods and products to market. I’m thankful to the Indiana Toll Road Concession Company for its continued work to modernize and upgrade the Indiana Toll Road, and I look forward to its completion as the largest project on the Indiana Toll Road since its initial construction.”

The project, called 80/90 PUSH (Pavement Upgrade for a Superior Highway), covers the 70-mile section of the Toll Road from Portage through Elkhart and will include all interchanges, mainline pavements, shoulder replacement, and various bridge repairs and widening works. The project will also allow for the installation of “Intelligent Transportation Systems” to improve safety and information service for Toll Road customers. Construction work is scheduled to begin in March 2016.

Work includes:

• Travel lanes (mainline): The existing pavement consists of a concrete base with an asphalt overlay. As part of this project, the asphalt will be removed and the concrete will receive a “crack-and-seat” treatment which reduces the likelihood of future pavement cracking. The concrete will be overlaid with 5 inches of new asphalt.

• Shoulders: A portion of the existing asphalt shoulder will be milled to a depth of 1-1/2 (1.5) inches and replaced with 1-1/2 inches of new asphalt.

• Interchange Ramps: Ramp pavement at nine interchanges within the project limits will be rehabilitated.

• Bridges: 53 bridges will be rehabilitated by the project. Improvements range from bridge deck overlays to full replacement of the bridge deck and will be determined based on the condition of each bridge. Substructure and superstructure repairs will also be included to improve the overall condition of the structures.

• Installation of a fiber optic line throughout the project. This will allow ITRCC to deploy various Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in the future. These systems will help ITRCC better identify and respond to roadway conditions and provide real time information to Toll Road users.

The ITRCC awarded the contract for the 80/90 PUSH project to Indiana-based Rieth-Riley Construction Co., and the 80/90 PUSH project is funded in its entirety by the ITRCC.

“The 80/90 PUSH project is a critical investment in safety and service on the Indiana Toll Road,” said ITRCC CEO Ken Daley. “This is the start of an exciting new phase for the ‘Crossroads of America’, and the ITRCC has pledged to modernize the Toll Road and rebuild the ITR travel plazas. We are very pleased to be partnering with Rieth-Riley for 80/90 PUSH, a local company with a long history of quality work on the Toll Road and the same commitment we have in supporting local businesses. Together, we have developed a work schedule to fast-track construction and minimize impacts, particularly during high traffic periods.”