Indiana Road and Bridge Conditions Continue to Improve
INDIANAPOLIS—Pavement and bridges maintained by the Indiana Department of Transportation continue to improve, according to the latest results submitted to the Federal Highway Administration.
Every two years, a routine inspection is performed on every public-road bridge. Over the past three years, the state bridges that inspectors have rated as fair or better has increased from 93 percent to 95.3 percent, bringing it above last year’s national average of 94 percent.
INDOT uses a specialized equipment to measure the roughness of all state highways. Between 2012 and 2014, state-maintained pavement has improved from 89.3 percent in fair or better condition to 90.3 percent.
“Hoosiers can be proud of their infrastructure,” said INDOT Commissioner Brandye Hendrickson. “INDOT’s bridges and roads are rated at or above the national average and continue to improve, which will ensure Indiana remains ‘The Crossroads of America.'”
More state funds for roads:
- Every year since 2013, Governor Pence and the Indiana General Assembly have increased funding for transportation. In total, $1.26 billion from the state general fund – including $200 million for local roads and bridges – has been budgeted since 2013:
- During the 2013 legislative session, highway account diversions were ended and 1 percent of all sales tax revenues were dedicated to transportation.
- During 2014, the Major Moves 2020 program funded highway widening and rehabilitation projects, including Interstate 65 near Lafayette.
- The current two-year state budget includes an additional $200 million for state highways.
Take care of what we have
As Major Moves projects such as U.S. 31, I-69 Section 4, the Ohio River Bridges and are completed, INDOT has been increasing its focus on maintaining and repairing Indiana’s existing roads and bridges.
During 2014 and 2015, INDOT began construction on 630 bridge maintenance and rehab projects as compared to 181 in the prior biennium – an increase of 250 percent! Since 2013, the hours the INDOT’s in-house maintenance crews have invested in bridge maintenance has increased 19 percent.
During the current fiscal year, INDOT will award contracts to resurface 727 miles of state highways. INDOT’s resurfacing program has increased each year since 2013, when 334 miles of highway were resurfaced. The miles of pavement sealed performed by INDOT maintenance crews have increased, as well, by 18 percent since 2013.
