Southwest drivers can expect a rough road to receive some major repairs in the near future.
Q. There is an area of potholes on Coverdale Road near Ferguson Road that the county has patched several times. This last time they left a fairly deep one but filled several others within 5 feet of the missed one. Why not do a decent job and not have to return to fill this one that continues to grow? Harriet Follis, Fort Wayne
A. Well, Harriet, you may not have to dodge those holes for much longer.
Bill Hartman, county highway director, said he doesn’t believe his crews are intentionally skipping holes. The good news is the county has a long-term fix in store.
The county plans to overhaul Coverdale Road from Airport Expressway to Indianapolis Road. Hartman said this will mean a complete rebuild of the road. The project will make it a smoother ride, and he said it will also improve some sight-issue problems for drivers.
The entire project is estimated to cost nearly $4.3 million, plus an extra $500,000 for one of the bridges on Coverdale. Hartman said the project is likely to be done in 2011 or 2012.
Until then, he said the county will do its best to keep the holes filled.
Q. When will the new Dicke Road, connecting Covington Road and the north entrance to the Lutheran Hospital campus, be open for traffic? – Jack R. Davis, Fort Wayne
A. Good news, Jack: you won’t have to wait long for the road to open.
As I’ve previously reported, the work on the first section of Aboite Center Road has been delayed a few times because of utility crews being called away to deal with higher priorities.
Bill Hartman, Allen County highway director, said the new section of Dicke Road will open at the same time as the first section of Aboite Center, from Dicke Road to Coventry Lane. This is currently scheduled to be complete by Aug. 11.
Coventry closure
The intersection of Coventry Lane and Aboite Center Road will be closed next week as part of the Aboite Center widening project. The intersection will be closed beginning Thursday and is expected to last through Aug. 11. Aboite Center from Dicke Road to Coventry Lane is also closed during this phase.
Motorists can use Jefferson Boulevard and Liberty Mills Road to the south to get around the detours.
Clinton restriction
Work is expected to begin next week on the Clinton Street bridge over the St. Marys River.
Drivers can expect the right lane to be closed from just south of Elizabeth Street to south of the bridge – reducing through traffic to two lanes.
The work will also require Fourth Street to be closed west of Clinton Street. Detours will be marked by the city.
New Haven delays
Drivers should expect some delays driving through New Haven on Indiana 930 over the coming months. The Indiana Department of Transportation is resurfacing the road between Maumee Avenue and Minnich Road.
While the street won’t be closed during this project, drivers should expect delays as various lanes will be restricted at different times. Signs and workers will help direct traffic. The project is scheduled for completion by late October.
Radio Sage
This week’s audio sage question comes from Paula Dyer of Allen County, who asks about improvements to South Doyle Road. The segment originally aired Friday afternoon on WOWO-AM 1190 and can be found online at www.journalgazette.net/roadsage
