NOBLESVILLE — Hamilton County officials are prioritizing road safety as they undertake significant infrastructure improvements along 146th Street.
The East-West roadway is a critical corridor connecting Noblesville, Carmel, Westfield, and Zionsville.
“Obviously, it takes a lot of money to be able to do projects like this. But safety is our number one concern here in Hamilton County,” explained County Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt. “That’s one of the things that we put on our priority list."
The road has been associated with a troubling number of roadway accidents and fatalities, making the current improvements crucial.
Matt Lee, Hamilton County Bridge Program Engineer, said a major focus was placed on making the road safer.
“[We want to] reduce the number of accidents and then reduce the severity of those accidents,” Lee said.
Both Lee and Heirbrandt attribute the rise in traffic to Hamilton County’s population boom over the last 15 to 20 years.
“It’s a major corridor, and with the explosive growth that we’ve experienced in Hamilton County, there’s just a lot of traffic on it,” Heirbrandt said.
Once completed by the end of the year, county leaders hope these changes will enhance road safety.
“It’s our commitment to making sure that we provide the safest roads and transportation projects for our citizens and anybody that is traveling through,” Heirbrandt added.
However, the construction has created challenges for local businesses.
Joe Peil, owner of Joe’s Auto Service, reported that his business has suffered drastically during the construction.
"Some customers have had to cancel afternoon appointments because of how hard it is to get to our Noblesville location,” Peil explained. “When you change customers’ driving habits, you also change their spending habits.”
Peil expressed hope that the construction will conclude sooner rather than later, as it directly affects his business.
The construction at Allisonville and 146th is set to be completed by the end of 2025.
