The six-month-long, $3 million Lowell Road construction project between U.S. 31 and County Road 200W is expected to be completed by the end of next month.
For the rest of this year, as well as the following two years, motorists should be able to travel along both Lowell and County Road 325W, Columbus City Engineer Andrew Beckort said.
Many drivers have become frustrated over losing access to the road, and the city engineer understands why.
“In the past several years, Lowell Road has become the alternate route to and from the west side of the city,” Beckort said last May. “With the increase in development, heavier traffic volumes, and the age and condition of the road, now is the time for a safer, reconstructed Lowell Road.”
Bartholomew County will eventually continue improvements on Lowell Road for 1.2 miles, from the Interstate 65 overpass to the Lowell Bridge. The county plans to widen the shoulders and improve curves to meet established standards for the volume of traffic, county highway engineer Danny Hollander said.
But since the county will be using federal transportation funds, construction won’t get underway until 2027, according to Hollander. While it’s possible that work on a new Lowell Bridge and upgraded southern approach along County Road 325W might begin in 2026, Hollander said it’s more likely the new bridge, estimated to cost $11 million, may also be put on hold until 2027.
Over the past six months, Milestone Contractors work crews have widened Lowell to three lanes, which includes a middle left turn lane, to accommodate an area surrounded by existing or future housing projects. Curbs and storm water infrastructure improvements have been installed, along with Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps, Beckort said. Crews were also given the task of installing a 5-foot wide sidewalk on the north side of Lowell Road, as well as a 10-foot multi-use side path on the south side, the city engineer said.
For the past few months, much of the work has centered on installing a roundabout at the junction of Lowell Road and County Road 200W, according to Beckort. For several weeks, motorists were not permitted to enter the intersection.
Work that will be completed over the next five weeks includes additional widening, pavement markings, signage and putting the final surface of asphalt down, Beckort said.
A short time after work on Lowell began between U.S. 31 and County Road 200W on May 28, crews ran into an obstacle regarding the relocation of utilities, Beckort said. However, crews are now back on their normal schedule.
