Work on Auburn Road is coming, but you will have to wait a few months.
Q. Recently, construction signs went up on Auburn Road at Cook Road. Shortly thereafter the signs were taken down. I thought construction was to begin this fall. Can you tell me what happened? – Glenn Auchtung, Fort Wayne
A. I can, Glenn, but know that more work is on the way.
Shan Gunawardena, city traffic engineer, said construction signs went up this year as part of a trail/sidewalk project from Tangerine Lane to just west of Auburn Road. That work has been completed, so the signs will be removed.
A much larger project to widen Auburn Road will start next spring. The project goes from Clinton Street to just north of Cook Road. It will widen Auburn to add new travel lanes and improve the intersection with Cook with a new traffic signal.
A sidewalk and trail will be built to connect where this year’s project ended. The city expects to accept bids for the $3.8 million project next month.
Clinton detour set
The city has created its detour for when the state closes Clinton Street for most of next year. Through traffic will be maintained, but it will likely take some getting used to. Southbound drivers will be directed to turn east on State Boulevard and then south on Spy Run Avenue.
Spy Run, currently a one-way northbound street, will be converted to have one southbound lane and two northbound lanes from State to Elizabeth Street. Through traffic will be directed to go west on Elizabeth before returning to southbound Clinton.
Elizabeth will be converted to a one-way westbound street during the detour.
The state project to reduce the curves and replace a bridge is expected to begin in April and will last for most of the 2012 construction season.
The street carries more than 22,000 vehicles south toward downtown each day, so even with the detour, drivers are encouraged to find alternative routes.
Notable closures
•Covington Road between Randall and North Washington roads was closed last week to allow crews to install a storm sewer. Traffic is being directed to use Smith Road, Engle Road and Ardmore Avenue as a detour. The closure is expected to last two weeks.
•The state will close U.S. 27 in Decatur on Monday to allow for railroad crossing reconstruction work. The road will be closed between Patterson and West Adams streets at 8 a.m.
The state recommends a detour using Indiana 101 and U.S. 224, but that adds 13 miles to through traffic. Drivers could use Second Street and U.S. 33 to cut that detour or try their luck with local roads.
Radio silence
Road Sage will be off the airwaves this weekend, but I plan to be back answering more questions on air and in print next week.
