TIPTON — The Indiana Department of Transportation is asking for feedback from communities along US 30 and 31.
In Tipton County, at the intersection of Division and US 31, community leaders and people who live there would like to see the area turned into an interchange. They say the current stop light there creates safety issues.
The INDOT initiative is looking at 180 miles of the two highways. It’s broken into four study areas. A portion of the study area is in Tipton.
"We are sandwiched in between the Kokomo area and the northern suburbs of Indianapolis,” Aaron Conaway, the President of Total Seed Production located in Tipton County, said. “The next growth for the state is going to be us. Growth is going to continue to come north out of Indy and south out of Kokomo, so we need the infrastructure."
Conaway is a fourth-generation family farmer. His family’s farm has continued to grow over the years. He is concerned if they don't get an interchange, it will negatively impact smaller county roads.
"They are going to find a way to our facility,” Conway said. “That's going to be back roads through small towns. That's going to be going on county roads that trucks can't make turns on or are not even built to handle."
According to INDOT, traffic patterns are likely to grow on US 31, which is why public officials are hopeful this study will lead to needed infrastructure upgrades.
"We got a factory, a Stalantis plant that just sold,” Tracey Powell, a Tipton County Commissioner, said. “It's already been announced that there will be 700 jobs coming to this area from that alone. Division Road is now a truck route."
A growing community that some are worried could be stunted without change.
"It's going to slow down economic development all along US 31 and I think that's one of our main thoroughfares through Indiana,” Powell said.
INDOT is hosting seven public information meetings as it continues this planning process. Details are below.
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| The public may provide comments online, in-person at public meetings, by phone and via mail through December 13, 2024. |
