Whitley County officials review three INDOT interchange options for US 30 at 700 East
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Summary
County leaders heard a consultant update on three interchange alternatives INDOT is advancing for US 30 at 700 East — a standard diamond, a partial clover and a partial clover with 700 East realignment — and were told relocation of a NIPSCO gas facility and a historic farm could add time and cost.
John Myers, president of the board, presided as staff summarized a recent meeting with INDOT and consultants about interchange alternatives at 700 East and U.S. 30.
Brad (presenter) told the board that consultants narrowed five initially proposed designs to three alternatives: a standard diamond interchange; a partial clover; and a partial clover with a realignment of 700 East. “So these are the 3 options that are moving forward,” Brad said.
Brad and other staff noted two significant constraints: a NIPSCO gas facility and a property marked on state maps as the historical Pettigrew Farm. Brad said any option that would require relocating the NIPSCO facility is effectively off the table because NIPSCO’s schedule includes about three years of design plus additional, unspecified construction time. He also said consultants warned that options requiring removal of the historical property would add time and cost.
Board members raised property‑owner resistance as another potential delay. Brad reported that owners of a key parcel “were not real easy to work with and resistant to any of this happening,” and that prolonged resistance could push the county toward condemnation proceedings or add months to acquisition timelines; consultants estimated about 18 months from initial approach to having the full right‑of‑way in some cases.
The consultants will prepare cost estimates and preliminary designs for the three alternatives and recommended that the projects be packaged so 700 East and 600 East can proceed as separate but coordinated lettings. Staff said INDOT direction for timing and letting will come from the Indianapolis office and that phase sequencing currently under way near a new Amazon facility will affect when Phase 2 of US 30 proceeds.
Board members asked whether the alternatives had been ranked; staff said no formal ranking was provided and that options requiring relocation of constrained facilities or removal of the historic property would increase cost and timeline. Staff emphasized safety concerns led consultants to reject tying a local overroad directly into one of the partial‑clover designs.
The board did not take formal action on the interchange at the meeting. Staff said they will return with cost estimates and any recommended preferred alternative at a future meeting.