The City of Gary and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) intend to proceed with the 15th Avenue Roadway Improvements project (Des. No. 1802973). The 15th Avenue Roadway Improvements project is located along 15th Avenue from Martin Luther King Boulevard to the northbound exit ramp of I-65, a distance of 0.53 mile, in Gary, Lake County, Indiana. A Categorical Exclusion (CE) Level 2 Document was released for public involvement by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) on January 20, 2023.

 

Purpose and Need

The need for this project is evidenced by the deteriorated condition of the roadway, a lack of roadside and subsurface drainage, and a lack of pedestrian facilities through this industrial corridor. The roadway has joint separations; cracking; and potholes. Storm water ponding occurs along the edges of the roadway. Additionally, there are no existing pedestrian facilities and pedestrians and bicyclists share the roadways with motor vehicles.

 

The purpose of this project is to correct the deteriorated condition of the roadway, to improve stormwater drainage along the roadway, and to reduce potential conflicts between pedestrians/bicyclists and motor vehicles traveling along 15th  Avenue’s industrial corridor.

 

Preferred Alternative

The project proposes to widen 15th Avenue from four 11-foot wide travel lanes (two in each direction) to include four 12-foot-wide travel lanes (two in each direction). Turn lanes and auxiliary lanes will be reconstructed to match the existing conditions. Full-depth pavement replacement will occur throughout the project. New 6-foot-wide sidewalks will be constructed on both sides of 15th Avenue and include ADA-compliant curb ramps. A new storm sewer system will also be installed, utilizing curb and gutter to collect storm water runoff. The project will also consist of a full-depth pavement replacement along Michigan and Texas Streets, where the streets intersect with 15th Avenue.

 

Project Benefits

• Improve the condition of the roadway pavement, which will have a 50 year design life

• Add new pedestrian facilities with ADA compliant curb ramps

• Improve stormwater drainage