The City of Hobart, with administrative oversight from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), is developing preliminary plans for a proposed Colorado Street over Canadian National/Grand Trunk & Western (CN/GTW) Railroad Grade Separation project (Des. No. 1801906) located in Hobart, Lake County, Indiana.  

 

The need is evidenced by delays regularly experienced by vehicular traffic at the existing at-grade crossing of Colorado Street and the CN/GTW railroad. Delays are a result of the frequency of trains crossing through the intersection as well as the slowing and/or stopping of trains usingthe switch track approximately 100 feet east of the railroad crossing, often causing trains to block the roadway.  

 

The purpose of this project is to eliminate the frequent delays and backing up of traffic at the Colorado Street crossing of the CN/GTW railroad.

 

The project will include a grade separation over the existing at-grade crossing of Colorado Street and the CN/GTW railroad. The typical roadway section will generally consist of two 12-foot-wide travel lanes (one northbound/one southbound) with 2-foot, 7-inch-wide curb and gutter on each side of the roadway. Approaching the newly constructed 69th Avenue and Colorado Street roundabout, the travel lanes widen to 24-foot-wide (southbound) and 17-foot-wide (northbound) and will be separated by a raised concrete splitter island. A 10-foot-wide multi-use path will be constructed along the southbound travel lane (west side of roadway) and will be separated from the roadway by a guardrail. In addition, Colorado Street will be shifted approximately 75 feet west to align with the newly constructed roundabout at 69th Avenue. A storm sewer system will be constructed to covey drainage throughout the project area.

 

A 2-span continuous composite, prestressed, concrete bulb tee beam bridge will be constructed to span the CN/GTW railroad tracks. The bridge will be 152 feet, 0.5 inch long with an out-to-out coping width of 44 feet, 1 inch. The bridge will be constructed to allow for potential future expansion to a 4-lane typical roadway section by constructing fill, an embankment, and a retaining wall along the east side of the bridge and roadway. Concrete bridge rails with pedestrian fencing will be installed along both sides of the bridge. The bridge will have a maximum clearance height of 23 feet, 8 inches and consist of two 12-foot-wide travel lanes (one northbound/one southbound).  Shoulders will be 4 feet, 6 inches wide along the east side of the bridge and 2 feet wide along the west side of the bridge. The 10-foot-wide multi-use path will taper down to 9 feet, 1 inch wide along the west side of the bridge and will be separated from the roadway by a steel bridge rail. The proposed construction of this project will require 2.99 acres of new permanent right-of-way and 0.043 acre of temporary right-of-way.

 

The maintenance of traffic (MOT) plan for this project will require closure of Colorado Street to thru traffic during construction. The detour route includes using 69th Avenue, Marcella Boulevard, and 61st Avenue. From closure point to closure point, the detour is a distance of approximately 3.60 miles. Access to all properties will be maintained during project construction. The MOT will remain in place for the duration of construction, approximately 12 to 18 months. Project stakeholders including local school corporations and emergency services will be notified of potential closures and/or detours prior to any construction. The proposed start of construction is fall 2022.