City of Huntingburg and Dubois County officials to break ground on the overpass project Thursday.
The project was announced in 2013. Huntingburg Mayor Denny Spinner joked at the time that Huntingburg had three truths in life; death, taxes and getting stopped by a train almost daily. With support from the state though, the project was approved to move forward with and 80-20 funding split; 20 percent with the city and county and the remaining 80 percent with the state.
Spinner stated the overpass will make Huntingburg safer and more economically viable by creating a way for traffic to flow through town more effectively. The approximately 30 trains that pass through town daily will no longer be an everyday annoyance for the residents and impediment to safety services such as fire, emergency medical services, and police.
The overpass project includes upgrading Styline Drive, constructing the overpass over the railroad tracks and then tying it into 14th Street before connecting with U.S. 231.
Along with the vehicular traffic, the new overpass will also connect the city with a walking/running/biking trail. Plans are also underway to connect the north portion of the town with Niehaus Park and Fourth Street through the Stellar Community Project to create the Heritage Trail.
“This project has been discussed at the City for over 50 years, so to see it finally happening is very exciting for our community,” says Huntingburg Mayor Denny Spinner. “We are grateful to our partners at the county and the Indiana Department of Transportation for helping us make this project a reality.”
The project is currently on track to be completed by fall or winter of 2018. Next week, crews will begin building the pillars for the overpass. Then construction will stop on the overpass for up to nine months as they settle.