The City of Portage with funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and administrative oversight from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), proposes to proceed with Phase 4 of the Central Avenue Roadway Improvement Project (Des. No. 2100131). The project is located along Central Avenue, beginning approximately 150 feet east of County Line Road and extending east to the intersection of Brandt Street in Portage, Porter County, Indiana.

 

A Categorical Exclusion Level 3 (CE3) was approved for the overall project on February 27, 2012 (Des. No. 0901928). Since that approval, the project has been divided into multiple phases for funding purposes. Phase 1 was located from Willowdale Road to Swanson Road and included the replacement of Porter County Bridge 1007 (Des. No. 2101214 [lead] and Des. No. 2101167). Construction for Phase 1 was completed in October 2025. Phase 2 was located from Brandt Street to Willowdale Road and Swanson Road to Peach Street (Des. No. 1173430). Construction for Phase 2 was substantially completed in December 2025. Phase 3 is located from Peach Street to Willowcreek Road. To date, no funding has been secured for this portion and schedule information is not available. This project is in regard to Phase 4 of the Central Avenue Roadway Improvement Project, and an Additional Information (AI) Document is the anticipated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document level (Des. No. 2100131).

 

The primary need for this project, as defined in the 2012 CE, is to provide a safe roadway and a continuous pedestrian network, including sidewalks and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps. The existing roadway is deteriorating and does not meet INDOT design standards. In addition, traffic congestion occurs at multiple locations along the corridor, and inadequate drainage infrastructure has resulted in stormwater runoff issues.

 

The lack of sidewalks within the project area, as well as the lack of connectivity between existing sidewalks, requires pedestrians to share the roadway with motor vehicle traffic, which increases the potential for conflicts between pedestrians and motorists.

 

The purpose of the project is to improve inadequate safety conditions for both pedestrians and motorists along the project corridor by improving the deteriorating conditions and reducing congestion along Central Avenue, as well as improving stormwater drainage.

 

The preferred alternative would consist of the reconstruction of Central Avenue to include two 12-foot wide travel lanes, curb and gutter, an 8-foot wide sidewalk along the north side of the roadway, a 5-foot sidewalk along the south side of the roadway, and stormwater improvements. Stormwater would be conveyed through a new enclosed storm sewer system, discharging into the existing storm network at Blake Road along the western portion of the project corridor and into a new stormwater pond along the eastern portion of the corridor. Additionally, the existing traffic signal at Dombey Road would be modified to meet current INDOT standards.

 

It is anticipated Phase 4 would require the acquisition of approximately 2 acres of new permanent right-of-way (ROW). Temporary ROW for grading purposes would be required as well. No relocations are anticipated for Phase 4.

 

The maintenance of traffic (MOT) plan would consist of the full closure of Central Avenue with detours in place. Construction is anticipated to occur in multiple phases rather than across the entire corridor at once, with closures likely phased between County Line Road and Blake Road, Blake Road and Brown Road, and Brown Road and Brandt Road; however, the exact limits are still to be determined. Although the roadway would be closed to through traffic, local access would be maintained for residents and businesses throughout construction. The MOT is anticipated to be in place for 12 months.