By HOLLY GASKILL
Wells County has been awarded an additional $1.1 million for the realignment of the Hoosier Highway.
Wells is one of five in Indiana to receive this federal funding from the Federal Highway Administration’s Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program. The program awarded $570 million to support 63 projects nationwide.
The Hoosier Highway realignment project will shift the highway west from the Bluffton Industrial Park to avoid three railroad crossings and allow for continuous traffic between Ind. 218 and the Bluffton Industrial Park.
The project is estimated to cost over $9.64 million. County Engineer Nate Rumschlag said this additional funding will cover the inflation costs incurred since the project’s approval and lowers the county’s match by 2 percent.
Wells County also previously received a $4 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration.
Rumschlag stated Wells County was likely prioritized with this round of funding because the project is close to its anticipated start.
“And being the fact that (the project was in) suspended development for a number of years meant that we had a very good chance for funding,” Rumschlag said.
The project is expected to bid in Feb. 2024 and could be completed by the end of 2025.
This realignment is part of a series of projects in the Wells County south corridor that official hope will open up traffic for industrial businesses. Complementary projects will connect Ind. 218, U.S. 124, Ind. 116 and Ind. 1 around Bluffton.
holly@news-banner.com
