FORT WAYNE – Ellison Road between Liberty Mills Road and West Jefferson Boulevard will become a two-way street as the state prepares to widen Jefferson in the area.
The Allen County commissioners approved an agreement Friday with the Indiana Department of Transportation on the changes, which call for construction of a concrete island and signage to make Ellison’s intersection with Jefferson a right-in/right-out only. That will permit eastbound traffic on Jefferson, which is U.S. 24, to turn right onto Ellison and for northbound traffic on Ellison to turn right onto Jefferson, but other movements will not be allowed.
INDOT will be responsible for all the work at the intersection and for 100 feet south. Allen County, which owns Ellison Road, will be responsible for any changes from that point south to Liberty Mills.
Currently, Ellison, located just west of Interstate 69, is a one-way street north of Liberty Mills.
“I’ve talked to INDOT about this, I’ve talked to the county about this, I’ve talked to the city of Fort Wayne about this,” Commissioner Linda Bloom said. “The intersection is in the city, the road is ours, and INDOT has 24 (Jefferson Boulevard). So it’s complicated.”
The changes stem from a Northeast Indiana Regional Coordinating Council traffic study that shows more demand for access on Ellison.
County Highway Director Bill Hartman said the work on the intersection could begin within weeks.
Commissioners Bloom and Nelson Peters approved the agreement; Therese Brown was absent.
Coliseum janitors
The commissioners approved a contract with Leaders Staffing for janitorial services at Memorial Coliseum. The city company provides janitors for the facility and also does changeovers, setting up chairs, building stages and putting in or removing floors over the ice surface.
