126th Street has been closed to east-west traffic at State Road 37 since late February, but as of November 19th, motorists are getting their first look at the newly-constructed interchange.  East-west vehicles will cross SR 37 on an elevated roundabout.  State Road 37 traffic heading north and south will not be impeded at 126th Street as an underpass has been constructed underneath that roundabout.

This is the first phase of the massive State Road 37 project in Fishers.  There is much left to be done.  Construction has already begun at 146th Street at SR 37 and that work is projected to continue well into 2022.  Bids will be let on the reconstruction of 131st Street & ST 37 within a month or two, with work expected to begin next year.  The design phase for the SR 37 & 141st Street interchange should be completed soon, with bids expected to be opened in about one year from now.

The project is over budget.  Mayor Scott Fadness insists the city can fund the project shortfall by borrowing once a municipal bond is paid-off in 2024, therefore not impacting the city’s property tax rate.

There was not a traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony in lieu of the COVID-19 pandemic.  There was a caravan of vehicles that opened up the road officially Thursday, with the first vehicle driving through the ribbon.

“It’s rewarding to see the hard work that has been done thus far and the magnitude of the improvements on SR 37 at this stage,” says Scott Fadness, Mayor of Fishers, in a city news release. “This section will reduce congestion and streamline traffic flow, providing a safe intersection for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.”

State Road 37 will continue to be open during all remaining phases of construction, with two northbound and two southbound lanes open during each phase. There will be closures on side roads with alternative routes always accessible. All interchanges within this improvement project are scheduled to be complete in 2023

“We appreciate the patience and adaptability of our local businesses and the community at large,” said Mark Heirbrandt, Hamilton County Commissioner.  “A project of this size disrupts our day-to-day, but its positive impact will be felt by all of us for years to come.”

The City of Fishers, City of Noblesville, Hamilton County, and INDOT are working together to improve the accessibility of SR37 for local businesses, residents, and those driving into the city.

by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

The membership of the Hamilton County Bicentennial Commission has been established with one member from each of the county’s nine townships, according to Brenda Myers, director of county tourism, who will lend support to the commission.

Chairing the commission will be Jessica Petty, who also serves as president of the county historical society. Co-chairs are Kathy Williams and Kent Ward.

The commission is charged with developing a bicentennial celebration in the year 2023. The county was organized in 1823 after the Indiana General Assembly created the county and established its boundaries.

The county was named for Alexander Hamilton, considered one of the nation’s ‘founding fathers’ and a Revolutionary War hero. Originally the county was larger in area, including the southern half of what is now Tipton County.

The Bicentennial Commission will meet in December to review a charter and goals for the celebration. The charter will be adopted by county commissioners.

Township members of the commission are: Ron Stone, Adams Township; Debbie Gangstad, Clay Township; Rick Fain, Delaware Township; Diane Whelchel, Fall Creek Township; Nicole Duncan, Jackson Township; Dottie Young, Noblesville Township; Diane Nevitt, Wayne Township and Jamie Rulon, White River Township.

County Historian Dave Heighway will serve as an ex-officio member.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness issued a statement Tuesday critical of the decision by the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board to have all grade levels go to virtual classes beginning November 19 through at least December 4.  The mayor tells me in a podcast interview recorded Wednesday, November 18,  that he stands by that statement, but has one regret.

“People, I think, read more into that statement than probably was there, but I stand by it,” said the mayor in the LarryInFishers.com podcast episode. ”Obviously, right now, things are emotionally charged, people took (the statement) and ran with it.  I regret that aspect of it.”

The city will provide any resources it can provide to support getting HSE students back into classrooms, according to the mayor.

Mayor Fadness talked about that, more COID-19 issues, the Interrupting Racism program, the State 37 construction project and more in this podcast interview.

There were a few audio glitches that happen sometimes in Zoom connections, so please be aware, but you should be able to hear most of the interview with no problems.

Thorpe Creek Elementary School has lost a staff member to COVID-19.

Hamilton Southeastern Schools Superintendent Allen Bourff posted the following Twitter message Wednesday morning:

“Our thoughts and prayers go out today to the family of Pam Podany, a Thorpe Creek staff member who died last night from Covid. Condolences also to her school family.”

The Fishers Health Department has announced the opening of a second COVID-19 testing site in the city, at 8933 Technology Drive.  This is in addition to the drive-up testing facility near City Hall.  Testing for HSE Schools and private institutions of learning will receive priority at the Technology Drive location.

HSE Schools will have all grades on virtual learning beginning November 19 at least through December 4th.  Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness released a statement shortly after the school  board decision critical of the board vote, then deleted the statement from his social media accounts.

Below is the full news release announcing the new testing site”

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In the City’s ongoing effort to support its schools, the Fishers Health Department announced today a second COVID-19 testing site dedicated to prioritizing testing for school-related exposures for Hamilton Southeastern Schools and private schools in Fishers. The site will open Monday, November 23 for testing Monday through Saturday. Alternative hours will be in place for Thanksgiving week.

As COVID-19 cases have increased over the last several weeks, the Health Department has been working with its suppliers to dedicate additional testing for schools. Students, teachers, and staff of all Fishers-based schools (including Noblesville-based Durbin Elementary) will receive priority testing at this location. This includes testing for any same-household individuals of those with a positive case or confirmed close contact.

Residents may make an appointment by visiting fishers.in.us/testing and selecting Testing for Fishers Residents.

The Fishers Health Department secondary testing site is located at 8933 Technology Dr. Fishers Indiana. Appointments can be scheduled beginning Monday, November 23.

Hours of operation for the secondary site:

Thanksgiving week hours of operation:

The Fishers Health Department continues to identify ways to increase its testing capacity and resources to better serve its residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Delaware Township at-large Hamilton Southeastern School Board election was close, very close.  Sarah Donsbach was certified as the winner on December 13 by 20 votes, less than one-half of one-per-cent of the votes cast.

The loser, incumbent board member Amanda Shera, filed for a recount Monday with Hamilton County Superior Court Judge Jonathon Brown.  Hamilton County Clerk Kathy Williams says Ms. Shera is asking for a recount of all precincts in Delaware, Fall Creek and Wayne Townships.  In an at-large election, all voters in all three townships vote on all three board seats.

Judge Brown will appoint a recount commission to conduct the vote count.  Clerk Kathy Williams says once the commission is appointed and the legal orders are signed, the recount should be complete in a matter of days.  The legal deadline to complete any recount is December 20.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board voted Tuesday morning to have all grade levels go to virtual classes beginning Thursday, November 19, continuing at least through December 4th.  Administrators told the board staffing classrooms is becoming impossible with the number of absences among staff members.

The vote was 6-1 with Amanda Shera voting no.

The board also voted to continue paying support staff members, such as food service workers and school bus drivers, during virtual classes.

The board intends to meet again, possibly December 2nd, to decide how to handle the classes after December 4th, based on whatever data administrators are able to provide at that time.

Grades up to the 4th have been in the classroom full-time, with grades 5 & 6 on a hybrid system, 50% in the classroom and 50% virtual.  On November 19th, all these grades will go virtual.  Grades 7-12 have just started an all-virtual schedule.

Below is the audio portion of the video livestream of the entire November 17th school board work session.

After previously rejecting a similar plan on a 5-4 vote, the Fishers City Council has sent a revised Planned Unit Development proposal at the corner of 113th Street and Southeastern Parkway to the Plan Commission.  Platinum Properties is asking that over 118 acres be rezoned allowing 210-220 homes to be constructed in that area.

Only one council vote is required to move forward at first reading and Councilman John Weingardt provided that vote.  A public hearing will be conducted at the December Fishers Plan Commission meeting and the commission is expected to vote on its recommendation to the City Council for further action.

The proposed development lies within the council district of Brad DeReamer and he voiced his opposition to the plan at Monday night’s Fishers City Council meeting.

Once the Plan Commission holds a public hearing and a vote, the proposal will come back to the City Council for consideration.

The Fishers City Council was scheduled to vote on an amendment to the city health ordinance Monday night, calling for fines of up to $500 for code violations, but the council removed that item from the council agenda at the last minute.  To enact that ordinance Monday night, it would have taken a unanimous vote of all 9 council members to suspend the rules and waive the normal three readings required at three separate council meetings.

Monica Heltz from the Fishers Health Department told the council over the last 2 weeks, positive COVID-19 cases averaged 50 per day, with the number of cases in the city “rising extremely rapidly.”  A total of 692 cases have been reported in Fishers the last 14 days, accounting for 22% of all COVID-19 cases in the city since the pandemic began.

The Fishers Board of Health voted to approve a number of measures going beyond Governor Eric Holcomb’s executive order.  That Fishers public health order is being issued this week.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony opening the east-west lanes of 126th Street at State Road 37 will be held later this week, based on comments made Monday at a Fishers City Council work session by Mayor Scott Fadness.  126th Street at State Road 37 has been closed several months during construction of a roundabout on 126th and underpass for State Road 37.

City Engineering Department Director Jason Taylor told the council his staff, along with Hamilton County and Indiana State Highway officials, have been working together to close a $41 million budget gap.  The project was budgeted for $124 million total but a list of factors have ballooned the price tag.  Taylor detailed several measures aimed at budget cutting.

Mayor Scott Fadness expects the budget gap to go down to $36 million, with the city and county splitting the cost at $18 million each.  Fadness says he expects a 25 year bond on a previous road project to expire in 2024, allowing the city to borrow the money required to complete the State Road 37 project without any need for a tax rate increase.

The head of the Hamilton County High Department, Brad Davis, told the city council in the virtual meeting that the County Council tabled the State Road 37 budget issue previously, but Davis expects county councilors to bring the issue up again and approve the county’s share of the budget shortfall.

The work at 131st Street and State Road 37 will go out for bids later this year, with an award expected in early 2021.  The design for the 141st Street interchange is nearing completion, with that bid opening set for about one year from now.  Work has already begun at 146th Street and State Road 37, with that work expected to extend into mid 2022.