St. Joseph County approves Amazon-funded Strawberry Road bypass agreement

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners on June 16 approved a Strawberry Road Bypass Project Agreement that will reroute a stretch of Strawberry Road to the east to allow construction of structures on the county’s southern campus. County infrastructure staff said Amazon will pay the costs of the temporary bypass and will be responsible for bringing the original roadway up to standard when the bypass is no longer required.

Sky Meters of the Department of Infrastructure Planning and Growth described the plan to commissioners, saying the new alignment would be built to county highway standards and would move traffic around the construction area. “The bypass itself will be entirely paid by Amazon and then Amazon will be required to bring the existing Strawberry Road that was being bypassed up to standard,” Sky Meters said.

County legal staff and planning review reported the submitted plans meet county criteria. Commissioners voted in favor of the agreement by voice vote; Commissioners Morton, Hazen and Baxmeyer recorded aye votes.

The agreement includes a requirement that Amazon cover construction of the temporary alignment and pay to restore the original Strawberry Road alignment once the bypass is no longer needed. County staff said the bypass is modest in length and will return to the existing alignment once project construction is complete.

The agreement was advanced as part of the Infrastructure Planning and Growth consent agenda, which the board approved the same evening. The project will move to implementation steps for permitting and contract administration under county procedures.