Marshall County Commissioner Mike Burroughs updated County Highway Superintendent Jason Peters, the public watching the commissioner’s meeting, and those attending on plans for the intersection of U.S. 31 and State Road 10 at Argos.
Burroughs said all three commissioners attended a meeting at the Argos High School recently where they saw the first reveal of five options for the deadly intersection. The commissioners have been asked to get the proposals out to the public, accept comments on the 5 proposals, and report the results back to VS Engineering.
Burroughs said the good news is that with all 5 options, McDonald’s, the BP Station, and Subway are saved and won’t have to be relocated. Three of the proposals have U.S. 31 going over State Road 10 and the other two options have State Road 10 going over U.S. 31. The commissioner said, “The biggest change or the discussion will be going forward is to try to negate working with the railroad because whenever you have to work with the railroad it increases costs and increases time.”
All five options do have the state closing off access to Dewey Street/17th Road at U.S. 31. Burroughs said that will limit access for ITAMCO and Topps on the west side of the highway and access on the east side of 31 to Sequel Wire & Cable. He said there are definite concerns about getting access to those industries.
The commissioner told Peters that his proposal for major improvements to Linden Road on the west side of U.S. 31 is timely. The highway superintendent was anticipating the closer of Dewy Street/17 Road and felt the industries on the west side of 31 could use Linden Road and head north to State Road 10 or south to State Road 110 to get access to U.S. 31.
Commissioner Stan Klotz attended the meeting and said the engineers at VS would like to look at the cost estimates for the Linden Road improvements. While there is interest in the project, there is no guarantee that INDOT will assist with any of the improvements.
Superintendent Peters asked if there was an overpass on 18th Road and Klotz said no overpasses for the 6-mile stretch of road. There is an overpass at 700N in Fulton County which was a request from the Amish community to assist them in getting to both sides of U.S. 31.
INDOT and VS Engineers say the plans for the State Road 110 and U.S. 31 interchange should be ready mid-summer or early fall 2024.
Commissioner Burroughs said he also bent the ear of INDOT representatives at the meeting to discuss the intersection of U.S. 30 and King Road. He told Peters that the new tire business coming in next to the Pilot Truck Stop is going to increase congestion at the intersection which is already terrible. Burroughs said semis exiting the truck stop don’t look at the stop sign at 9th Road. The drivers look at the stoplight at U.S. 30 and when it turns green, they go. One of his family members was almost hit by a semi leaving the truck stop just the other day because the semi-driver disregarded the stop sign.
INDOT is now aware of the issue and told Burroughs that they would drive by and check out the situation.
