The flood-damaged bridge could cost nearly $10 million, although officials are pursuing federal emergency funding.
Hamilton County hopes to complete a replacement for the flood-destroyed Hazel Dell Parkway bridge during 2027, county officials announced Monday.
The county-owned bridge carries Hazel Dell Parkway over Blue Woods Creek between 96th and 106th streets in Carmel, on a heavily traveled north-south route near Fishers. County Commissioner Christine Altman said during an Aug. 24 flood update that the structure is a total loss.
Engineers expect the design process to take approximately 60 days. While that work proceeds, the county will seek bids to demolish and remove the portions of the bridge that remain.
Officials hope to hire the replacement contractor by Thanksgiving, leaving the remainder of 2026 and much of 2027 for construction.
“We believe we can get it done next year,” Altman said.
The county hopes to keep the cost below $10 million, but several variables remain. Floodwaters substantially enlarged and rerouted the Blue Woods Creek channel into the Martin Marietta quarry. Engineers must determine how to reconstruct the channel toward the White River before completing the bridge design.
The project also will require coordination and permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Hamilton County may qualify for a Federal Highway Administration emergency program that could cover 80% of the project, leaving the county responsible for 20%. Altman emphasized that the federal funding has not been approved and that officials do not know whether sufficient money is available.
Hazel Dell Parkway is one of the main north-south connectors on the Fishers-Carmel line, and the closure south of 106th Street has pushed traffic onto Allisonville Road and Keystone Parkway. An end-of-2027 completion still means roughly a year and a half of detours — but it is meaningfully better than the two-year-plus outlook that seemed likely two weeks ago.
Drivers should not expect any change in the near term. The site remains closed to the public, and the demolition phase will keep it that way.
The county also released updated residential damage figures. Emergency officials said they assessed 912 residences and identified 434 as affected by the flooding.
Using federal damage classifications, one residence was destroyed, 180 sustained major damage, 113 sustained minor damage and 116 were affected by water intrusion. Another 24 residences remained inaccessible. Officials cautioned that FEMA’s “minor” classification can still represent significant damage for a homeowner.
A preliminary estimate compiled four days before the news conference placed known damage above $32 million. That figure did not include the Hazel Dell bridge, economic losses at the quarry or an estimated $75 million to $100 million in equipment left at the bottom of the flooded quarry.
Flood-debris collection began Monday in seven zones across Hamilton County. Residents should separate debris by category and place it along the public right of way without blocking roads, utility equipment or fire hydrants. Detailed collection instructions are available from the county.
Officials also extended the prohibition on recreational travel on the White River for another seven days, citing debris and continuing dangerous conditions.
Residents should report flood damage through 211 and retain receipts in case additional federal assistance becomes available. The Hamilton County flood-assistance hotline is 317-645-3261. Additional information is available on the county’s flood resources page.