As you were out and about this weekend, did you notice anything about the roads? I did. WOW, they are littered with potholes. It made me wonder, how much does it cost to fix them? And what is it costing me to drive on them?
In 2018, a company named Lvl5 collected video footage of millions of miles of roads. The company fed the footage into an algorithm that determines road quality. That algorithm stated that Indiana’s roads are the third worst of the 37 states included. An Indiana Department of Transportation Spokesperson says they check all state-maintained roads every year with infrared scans.
An American Society of Civil Engineers report says 23% of roads in Indiana are in poor condition. Each motorist pays $638 per year in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair. In 2019, Indiana announced $99 million in infrastructure funding to improve Indiana roads and bridges.
Construction Season in Indy
You might have noticed construction happening. In an attempt to fix the roads, just in Indianapolis, INDOT currently has multiple jobs.
- Between Michigan Street Ramp and Ohio Street Ramp in Indianapolis. The road is closed because of major road construction work. Until July 9, 2022.
- Between Michigan St and Mile Marker 112.4 in Indianapolis. The road is closed because of major road construction work. Until October 18, 2022.
- Between Calvary St and Mile Marker 111.0 in Indianapolis. The road is closed because of major road construction work. Until October 18, 2022.
- Between Prospect St and I-70 (Indianapolis). The road is closed because of major road construction work. Until October 17, 2022.
- Between Valley Av and I-65 (Indianapolis). The road is closed because of major road construction work. The exit ramp is closed. Until August 15, 2022.
- Between Exit 111 and Ohio St in Indianapolis. The road is closed because of major road construction work. Until October 17, 2022.
These locations are just a few spots where you might see orange and yellow cones. There will also be arrows flashing and bottle necking. On INDOT TravelWise you can see all of the construction and detours. This site also includes unplanned traffic incidents, trucker reports, road cameras, plow cameras, weather warnings, flooding and traffic speeds. Of course, you can listen to WIBC for traffic updates!
How Much Does It Cost To Build A Mile Of Road?
As it turns out, there’s no easy, straightforward answer. Road building has much to do with a number of variables: location, terrain, type of construction, number of lanes, lane width, surface durability, and the number of bridges.
But, in general, it costs much more to build an entirely new road than to rehabilitate or add new lanes to an existing byway. Also, it generally costs more to build roads in urban settings than in rural areas. Constructing a two-lane, undivided road in a rural locale will set you back somewhere between $2 and $3 million per mile — in urban areas, that number jumps to between $3 and $5 million. To mill and resurface a pre-existing 4-lane road, it costs an average of $1.25 million per mile.
As you’re traversing this great state and white knuckling as you cruise on I-65, keep in mind that the 18 month long project will eventually be complete and those cones will someday be gone.
