(New Carlisle, IN) - Another roundabout overpass could be stretching over SR 2 just east of La Porte County.  St. Joseph County economic development officials are looking to facilitate increased traffic through the proposed industrial area near New Carlisle.

 

A plan released for a redevelopment meeting this week shows a dog bone roundabout connecting SR 2 to Larrison Dr.

 

Economic Development Director Bill Schalliol says it’s one of many options. "We've hired Lochmueller Group out of South Bend to help us work on some concepts with INDOT on what an improved intersection at Larrison and 2 would look like," he said. "The plan that was in the packet does reflect the dogbone interchange. If not exactly modeled after the one at 2 and 20, it's very similar in footprint. Whether or not that ends up being the final design is still up in the air."

 

Schalliol says area farmers and managers at IN/Tek-IN/Kote have already expressed concern over large vehicles navigating a roundabout. But, he says some change to the intersection is necessary. "It's a footprint model more than anything to show what kind of area might be required to that kind of interchange," he said. "But there needs to be an upgrade at that intersection; there will be an upgrade at that intersection.  We're going to start doing property acquisition to support improvements in that area."

 

Those efforts, Schalliol said, will happen through 2021. Other road improvements are also planned for that area to facilitate truck traffic between SR 2 and US 20. Larrison Road will be rerouted to connect better with Smilax Road, and east-west roads like Edison and Early will be improved.

 

A connection north of US 20 to the Indiana Tollway could also be in the future. Schalliol said that possibility depends on the extent of industrial development in the future.