(Batesville, IN) – An overflow crowd packed the Batesville High School cafeteria Monday night for INDOT’s public hearing on the proposed State Road 46 project.
Plans call for resurfacing the road through Batesville from Hillcrest Estates Drive to Fisherman Road, along with reducing lanes in both directions from four to two, and converting the existing median into a two-way center turn lane.
The agency says bike lanes are not part of the project.
INDOT says the goal is to improve safety and reduce crashes along the 46 corridor through Batesville.
Andrea Mikrut with the agency says 95 crashes happened on 46 between 2021 and 2023 – 25 of which involved injuries.
Mikrut says there were 41 more wrecks last year, including 12 with injuries.
However, most of the people who stepped to the mic during the public comment period spoke out against the proposed $3.6 million project, citing impeded traffic flow, negative impacts to local businesses and emergency response times, and a lack of transparency and communication about the project.
INDOT says nothing has been finalized, and that public comments will be taken through May 20.
You can email your comments to Mikrut at AMikrut@indot.IN.gov or send them by mail to:
INDOT Attn: Andrea Mikrut, 185 Agrico lane, Seymour, IN 47274.
