Published: July 07, 2008 10:50 pm            

State will maintain U.S. 31

INDOT originally wanted county to care for road.

After two years of discussion, the Indiana Department of Transportation has agreed to continue to maintain U.S. 31 through Kokomo even after the bypass to the east is completed.

INDOT Commissioner Karl Browning agreed last week during a meeting with city and county officials to continue to maintain the existing route and the freeway.

Previously INDOT officials wanted Kokomo and Howard County to take over responsibility for maintaining the 11-mile stretch of road and bridges.

Browning said INDOT would provide adequate resources to assure the existing U.S. 31 corridor is maintained to state standards for safe travel.

Larry Ives, director of the Kokomo-Howard County Coordinating Council, said a decision on the future of existing U.S. 31 needed to made.

“This was in the best interests of everyone,” Ives said. “We couldn’t afford to take it over and the state recognized that.”

INDOT projected yearly maintenance costs at $150,000 not including manpower and Ives said the city and county was looking at a potential spending of $200 million over the next 20 years for a complete reconstruction.

For Kokomo and Howard County to take over maintaining the route local officials wanted the state to reconstruct the 11-mile stretch and put $40 million in a trust fund to cover future maintenance costs.

“The state assured us the road would be maintained at a quality standard,” Ives said. “We expressed our concerns that the existing route might be overlooked when the new bypass is constructed.”

Ives said the U.S. 31 designation is likely to continue with the current route and the bypass would be given a new designation, possibly 431 or 531, indicating a bypass.

“This is a huge savings for the local community,” he said. “The agreement is good for the community and INDOT.”

Commissioner Brad Bagwell said the decision is a big plus for the county and no local funds will be required for maintaining the roadway.

“I was a little surprised with the state’s decision,” he said. “We are concerned that the state will put all the money in the new bypass.”

Bagwell said the existing route probably will not see the attention it has gotten from the state in the past when the new bypass is completed.

The agreement is assured for the next four years, Bagwell said if Gov. Mitch Daniels wins re-election in November.

INDOT spokesman Harry Maginity said nothing is forever and the agreement by the state to maintain the route could be changed in the future.

Maginity said a decision on the road designation won’t be made until the 31 Corridor (bypass) work is completed.

Work on the $267 million bypass project is expected to start in 2009 and be completed in 2014. The state is paying for the construction costs through the Major Moves program as a result of the lease of the Indiana Toll Road to a foreign company.

        

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