The Federal Highway Administration is providing $26 million in emergency relief funds to repair Indiana roads and bridges damaged by recent flooding.
The funds will allow the Indiana Department of Transportation to proceed with the rapid replacement of the collapsed Hazel Dell Parkway bridge in Carmel and repair Interstate 70, State Route 38 and several bridges in Wayne County that were severely damaged during the statewide storm August 11-17, which has been designated a 1000 rain and storm event.
In an Aug. 31 social media post, Hamilton County said it has hired Indianapolis-based United Consulting Engineers to begin design work on replacing the now-closed bridge, which was built in 1998 and parts of the road were also washed away by the flood. Demolition of the existing structure will begin in November, and the new bridge is expected to open in late 2027 or early 2028.
Replacing the now-closed Hazel Dell Parkway bridge will cost about $10 million, officials said in Carmel, a suburb north of Indianapolis with a population of 100,000 that commuters use for north-south access to the state capital. The bridge has an annual daily traffic of more than 10,000 vehicles,
The storm, which disrupted the state’s transportation infrastructure through widespread highway closures, bridge damage and debris, dropped up to 14 inches of rain in 10 hours, washing out many federally-aided highways, the state DOT said. The storm produced straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding across the state, leading to a range of other damage including severe flooding, power outages, washed out roads and water that flooded homes and businesses.
Hamilton County is also evaluating options to repair or realign Blue Woods Creek, which flows under the bridge. Floodwaters from the White River Bridge reversed the flow of the creek during the storm, sending water back up the canal and into a nearby quarry owned by Martin Marietta, which had to shut down operations. Carmel says she is working on a plan to dewater the flooded quarry site and stabilize ground conditions so operations can reopen.
County Commissioner Christine Altman confirmed in an Aug. 24 briefing that the bridge is a total loss, noting that it is a county-maintained bridge. He said the county has financial reserves to keep the project moving forward immediately while pursuing full state and federal disaster reimbursements. “We think we can do it [bridge replacement] done next year,” he said.
The Federal Highway Agency’s Emergency Assistance Program provides funding to states, territories, tribes, and federal land management agencies for roads and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events. These ‘quick release’ funds are an initial tranche of funding for the restoration of essential transport links. Additional funds needed to repair the damage in Indiana will be supported by the program through statewide funding allocations.
