(La Porte County, IN) - Major highways that might need widening will be a focus of state lawmakers during the summer.

 

State Representative Jim Pressel of Rolling Prairie is President of the Transportation Committee in the House of Representatives, and a member of the task force that will examine the need for adding more lanes to major highways throughout the state.

 

Locally, a stretch of Indiana 2 could be reviewed on whether to add lanes to portions that currently have two lanes or strengthen the road to handle more truck traffic.

 

Pressel said an electric vehicle battery-making plant outside New Carlisle is expected to bring more vehicles and heavy trucks to Indiana 2 during its construction and after it begins operating. The plant will cost an estimated $3.5 billion to build and employ as many as 1,700 people.

 

“What is the upgrade that is going to be needed there to get that traffic in and out?  We’ve not really budgeted for those kind of things, so, that’s the need for that task force,” he said.

 

The task force will present its recommendations to the state legislature for possible action next year.