Under terms of an agreement between the city of Carmel and the state, Carmel will assume ownership of Keystone Avenue from 96th Street to U.S. 31. Gov. Mitch Daniels and Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard announced the plan Thursday.
The Indiana Department of Transportation will pay the city $90 million in installments to reconstruct the road. The city’s construction plan calls for lowering Keystone Avenue at seven major intersections and building roundabouts. When completed, traffic will flow unhindered by traffic lights.
“When we pull the jurisdiction from the state over to a local entity, we drop a lot of the restrictions and federal rules on that roadway,” said Hamilton County Commissioner Christine Altman. “It will allow Carmel, who will have jurisdiction over it, to employ a lot more creative design techniques in investment of the moneys the state is handing over. To me that’s the true benefit.”
Construction is scheduled to begin early next year. Brainard said the city will not take on additional debt for the reconstruction costs. Six of the seven intersections can be built with the $90 million from INDOT.
Noblesville Daily Times