Police say a CRV hit a stopped tanker truck on I-69 near State Road 38 Monday afternoon, and a local man is dead as a result of that crash. Indiana State Police identify the victim as Roscoe Murray, 49, from Fishers. The empty tanker was stopped in traffic for an INDOT construction zone.
The driver of the semi, Dereon Bond, 44, from Decatur, Illinois,. was transported to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Anderson with minor, non-life threatening injuries. The preliminary investigation by Troopers Justin Beamon and Coley McCutcheon determined that Murray was accelerating down the ramp from MLK Blvd. to get onto I-69 south bound, when he failed to see the stopped traffic ahead.
The crash had I-69 south-bound closed for nearly 3 hours at the 222 mile marker as troopers investigated the crash and crews worked to clear the roadway.
When the newly remodeled Fishers downtown Amphitheater is ready for events sometime in June, it will be outfitted with new sound and lighting systems. The Fishers Board of Public Works and Safety Monday approved $195,000 for the new sound equipment and $114, 750 for lighting in the stage area.
The sound system was acquired for a discount of about 30% because Fishers agreed to be a beta test site. Parks and Recreation Department Director Tony Elliot told the board this sound system has only been used on the east and west coasts up to now, so he expects visitors from throughout the Midwest to visit our concerts and evaluate this new sound setup.
Mayor Scott Fadness expressed concern about lighting away from the stage area, for the crowds attending the events. But both items received unanimous approvals from board members.
In other Board of Works items:
–The board approved the purchase of a CCTV truck for over $215,000. The truck will be fully equipped. It will be used by the sewer and storm water operations.
–Changes were made to the speed limits along parts of 126th Street. For more details, use this link.
–Approved dedicating right-of-way along State Road 37 from O’Reilly Automotive for the upcoming improvements on that stretch of road.
–Voted to replace network switches and wireless equipment that has exceeded their expected useful life.
The Fishers Redevelopment Commission had a last-minute addition to the Monday meeting agenda – the sale of the parking garage and residential units in The Switch Building downtown, from Loftus Robinson to J.C. Hart. That sale required several changes to the project documents governing the property.
The updated documents spell out the rights and responsibilities J.C. Hart will have with the parking garage and The Flats, the residential section of the complex. Loftus Robinson retains control of The Switch’s commercial space.
J.C. Hart is a property management firm with headquarters in Carmel. The company develops and manages residential properties throughout the Indianapolis metropolitan area.
In other Redevelopment Commission items from the Monday meeting:
–The first of two public hearings was held, with no one choosing to speak, on the changes in the financing for The Yard project. This was originally designed as a culinary project, and 100,000 square feet of space have been set aside for commercial development. The change is the addition of residential units and a parking garage. The second and final public hearing will be held on April 16th at the next scheduled Redevelopment Commission meeting.
–The commission approved provisions of a lease for the Braden Building, now completed downtown. The lease is to run 10 years, From March 1, 2018, through March 1, 2028.
–The commission released its annual report for calendar year 2017. You can find the report at this link.
The week of spring break is normally a quiet news period in Fishers. However, there have been a few news items the past week worth mentioning, so here they are.
–This is one of those strange weather years where we have flooding and snow at roughly the same time. It has been a brutal spring weather-wise but we have seen these very wintry spring times in the past. Never fear, the warm weather has to come some time.
–There are plans to construct 31 town house units along 116th Street, near Holland Drive. According to the Indianapolis Business Journal, a Florida based developer is going through the city approval process to get the proposal finalized. This will give the residents in the new homes access to both Holland Park and downtown Fishers. By the way, welcome to the new North of 96th reporter for the IBJ, Samm Quinn. Read her story at this link
–Last, but not least, spring break is over on April 9th. If you have been ignoring the school area lower speed limits, be aware of lowering your speed based on the signs, and watch out for school buses and the youngsters getting off & on the those buses.
Steven Spielberg explores escaping to a virtual world in the year 2045 in his new film Ready Player One. Adam & I review that film. Also, we interview Whitney Roberts and Cynthia Foulke, winners of a Pigasus Pictures screenwriting contest.
A new 15-year contract paves the way for the creation of the Nickel Plate Express rail line. According to my news-gathering partner, the Hamilton County Reporter, the new operating agreement between the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority and Nickel Plate Heritage Railroad, Inc. will utilize 12 miles of rail line between Atlanta and Noblesville, beginning operations in late summer.
“This is huge step forward,” said Toni Dickover, president of the Nickel Plate Heritage Railroad, Inc. Board of Directors, in a news release. “Now, we can begin restoration of the track and finalize our late summer, fall and holiday schedule.”
The Hoosier Heritage Port Authority, formed in 1994, manages the 37 miles of rail track from Tipton to 10th Street and the remaining track in Indianapolis. The track is owned by Fishers, Noblesville and Hamilton County, and the appointed representatives to the authority oversee all aspects of the rail line.
Improvements to the Arcadia Depot, downtown Atlanta and on the express’s passenger cars are under way. Delivery of the equipment is expected later this summer once track restoration is complete.
A group called Save the Nickel Plate Road has officially filed as a Political Action Committee (PAC) for the May 8 Republican primary election. The purpose is to elect five slated candidates pledged to work toward saving the Nickel Plate Railroad through Hamilton County. Save the Nickel Plate has a public rally scheduled for April 12 beginning at 6 p.m. at the Mill Top Conference Center, 802 Mulberry St. in Noblesville. The event is open to the public for refreshments and music.
During the program the organization’s endorsed candidates will be introduced. They are: Brad Beaver, candidate for State Representative; Matt Milam, for County Commissioner; Fred Glynn and Mark Hall for County Council and Brian Baehl for Fall Creek Township Board. There is no admission charge, but donations of $20 will be accepted. Officers of the PAC are Joshua Spencer, chairman, and Mike Bowen, treasurer. They filed their organization forms on March 9.
The community debate over the future of the rail line has been ongoing for about a year. Current plans determined by city and county officials include converting the railroad to a pedestrian and bike greenway south from Noblesville to 96th Street, and maintaining the tracks north of the city for excursion train travel planned by the County Tourism Bureau.
Slating candidates for elective office has a controversial history in Hamilton County, and has had mixed results on Election Day. Back in the late 1960s an organization was formed with the intent to changing the composition of the Board of County Commissioners. It was successful except that the winners betrayed the slate organizers after election thus causing great controversy.
Then in the 1980s the Republican Party organization tried slating. It was the first and only time the party tried to influence the outcome in the primary election. The attempt failed, and has not be tried since.
Construction on the new expansion of the Hamilton County Jail should be complete by April 2019. (Rendering provided)
Hamilton County Reporter
Hamilton County will break ground on an expansion of its current jail at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 10. The first phase of the $13.5 million project will add 120 beds, but some are fearful that may not be enough.
“We’re bursting at the seams,” says Hamilton County Sheriff Mark Bowen. “The jail was built 25 years ago to hold 296 inmates. We’re currently pushing 400 inmates. I would expect that situation to get worse before it gets better.”
A change in state law back in 2016 added to the County’s woes. House Bill 1006 requires lower-level felons to serve their terms in county jails rather than state prisons.
“We’ve tried everything,” County Commissioner Steve Dillinger admits. “We even moved the female inmates from the jail pod to the Juvenile Facility. That’s what has allowed us to get by up until now, but we’ve run out of options and need to make more room.”
The initial phase of the jail expansion will feature 11 cell pods with 84 prefabricated steel cells consisting of two- and four-man cells. The expansion will also include an interior recreation area, classroom and medical support area. A second phase of the project could add an additional 136 beds. County Commissioners are hopeful that part of the expansion can still be completed this year, but are waiting for additional funds.
“Public safety is a top priority, so we want to be sure we do this right,” says Mark Heirbrandt, president of the County Commissioners. “It would make great sense to knock both these projects out at the same time if we can.”
The trail connecting Conner Prairie to downtown is nearly finished along Allisonville Road
If you have been motoring along Allisonville Road the past few weeks, you have seen construction along that roadway and there will be more coming.
A trail beginning at Conner Prairie and heading south is nearly finished, according the The City Of Fishers Assistant Director of Engineering Hatem Mekky. The rain and unseasonable weather have not set the project back.
There will be a small gap in the trail’s connection to 131st Street, allowing for future construction in that area. The gap will be filled once the overall construction is complete
However, there is more to come along that heavily-traveled street.
A planned widening of Allisonville Road was to have been under construction in 2019, but with other road projects planned (particularly the State Road 37 construction expected to begin in earnest in 2019) the Allisonville Road widening plans have been moved up, and are projected to be complete by the end of 2018 (assuming no major construction delays). This will include improvements at the 131st and 126th Streets.
The Allisonville Road construction project should be bid in May, with construction starting in mid-summer.
“During the construction, there should be traffic maintained along Allisonville Road,” said Mekky. “(Expect) some limited closures, or some closures on 126th and 131st just to get those tie-ins and elevation differences going in. You will not have 126th and 131st (streets) closed at the same time.”
The tree removal project underway the past few weeks along Allisonville Road is to make way for the intersection improvements and lane expansion.
The trail along Allisonville Road is part of a plan to connect Conner Prairie with downtown Fishers.
“It will be really great for our residents to be able to just take their bike and ride safely to Conner Prairie, to visit their exhibits or go to Symphony on the Prairie,” Fishers City Director of Public Relations Ashley Elrod said. “I think it’s an exciting connection point..”
That trail connection from downtown Fishers to Conner Prairie should be available by the end of summer this year.
The trail connecting Conner Prairie and downtown Fishers was originally named the Nickel Plate Trail, but will be renamed. The planned trail along the Nickel Plate Rail Line is expected to receive the moniker of Nickel Plate Trail. That trail plan is awaiting a decision by the Federal Surface Transportation Board.
You can keep up-to-date on traffic in Fishers by visiting the Drive Fishers section of the city Web site at this link. If you are a Twitter user, you can get updates regularly by following @DriveFishers
