This past Tuesday, I partnered with Farm Bureau to host a public meeting on proposed J-turn projects that could be constructed along U.S. Highways 31 and 24 in Miami County. The meeting was well attended with over 160 people in the audience. I’m glad so many were able to come out and share their concerns with INDOT.
Over the last few months, I, along with other state lawmakers and community leaders, have met with INDOT several times to discuss these proposed J-turns. Also known as restricted crossing U-turn intersections, J-turns are considered a cheaper alternative to traditional highway interchanges and roundabouts.
INDOT has recommended the addition of five J-turns along U.S. Highways 31 and 24 for a variety of reasons, namely safety. For those of us who travel along these highways on a daily basis, we know how tricky crossing four lanes of traffic can be. J-turns are designed to cut down on the number of vehicles crossing several lanes of high-speed traffic. For example, if a driver were to cross U.S. Highway 31 using a J-turn, they would only cross two lanes of traffic, before merging into a deceleration lane, and then be forced to make a U-turn before making a right-hand turn onto the road they were originally traveling. According to INDOT, this gives the driver more time to fully see oncoming traffic and only deal with vehicles traveling from one direction at a time. They’ve seen success and fewer crashes at the U.S. Highway 41 and State Road 114 intersection in Northwest Indiana where a J-turn opened early last year. Unfortunately, this J-turn makes for a poor example because it does not experience anywhere near the same volume of traffic as U.S. Highway 31’s intersections.
At the meeting, I was joined many local leaders, business owners and concerned citizens to voice our opposition to these J-turns, urging INDOT to hear our pleas to consider different options.
I want to thank INDOT for taking the time to come out to the Miami County Fairgrounds to not only listen to citizens’ concerns, but also answer questions and offer insight on what our community can expect over the next few years. In the past, INDOT has always been extremely receptive to public comments and has always been willing to listen and, in some cases, find a different course of action. I am confident that they will continue to consider our concerns and find the best solution for the intersections along U.S. Highways 31 and 24.
I also want to thank Farm Bureau for helping organize this public forum. They have been a tremendous help, and I appreciate their support. Thank you to the local business leaders, elected officials and citizens that took the time out of their busy schedule to attend, listen and share their thoughts. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: It’s your government! Stay involved!
Moving forward, I will diligently remind INDOT that we hope they will find and take a different course of action. It is clear that our community is strongly opposed to J-turns. Incorporating these turns will not suit the number and speed of vehicles traveling these highways, and, in my opinion, are not the right step to ensure the safety of motorists on the roads.
If you have any questions or concerns about any of the proposed infrastructure projects for our community, I encourage you to contact my office at 317-232-9981 or h23@iga.in.gov. You can also contact INDOT directly by calling 1-866-849-1368 or visiting www.in.gov/indot/3660.htm to learn more about J-turns.
More later,
Bill
-30-
Rep. Bill Friend (R-Macy) represents House District 23,
which includes portions of Cass, Fulton and Miami counties.
A high-resolution photo of Friend can be downloaded by clicking here.
