Concerned people in Richmond and Wayne County, Ind., may have "construction fatigue," the Indiana Department of Transportation is launching Renew Richmond, a website detailing new and ongoing road projects — and how to get around them.
"This is really an umbrella branding for a one-stop-shop for people to come to," explains Kyleigh Cramer, public relations director for INDOT. "This is all the work that's underway right now and that is coming up in the future."
The site maps out INDOT's construction plans and offers a "Frequently Asked Questions" section with information on detours, traffic patterns and how the projects aim to improve transportation in Wayne County.
"There is some really great information on this," says Cramer. "How will this project improve safety? How will (it) improve efficiency? What's going on? How are we advancing Richmond? All of this is under this website and it's a really great way to (find) all this information and understand what's going on in Richmond."
Anyone who drives in or around the Richmond area knows work is already underway along U.S. 27. That's slated to conclude sometime mid-next year. INDOT is also preparing to repave the westbound lanes of North A Street (U.S. 40) next year and replace curb ramps. Work is also scheduled to begin next year on replacing the U.S. 27 bridge over the Norfolk Southern rail line and city streets north of downtown. The bridge is expected to be closed with a detour in place for about two years.
Along with Renew Richmond, Cramer also recommends the updated INDOT Trafficwise app (available on Apple and Google Play).
"That app is updated by our INDOT employees and our project managers, and they let people know how the project is going. If there's a road closure this day, that day, whatever, it's the most up to date information. I love Google Maps, I use Google Maps (and) I use Trafficwise. Trafficwise just lets you know what's going on with construction. ... It gives you notifications, too. It tells you when accidents are happening in your county as well."