DES. #2201250 LEGAL NOTICE OF PLANNED IMPROVEMENT PROPOSED BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT IN VANDERBURGH COUNTY

DES. #2201250 LEGAL NOTICE OF PLANNED IMPROVEMENT PROPOSED BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT IN VANDERBURGH COUNTY Vanderburgh County Commissioners, with oversight from Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), and with funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is proposing to proceed with a bridge replacement project of Bridge No. 82-02430/National Bridge Inventory (NBI) 8200066 on Wimberg Road over Locust Creek (Des No. 2201250), in Center Township, Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana. The proposed alternative will replace the existing bridge with a new single-span composite steel beam bridge with a span length of 70 feet. The bridge will be supported by concrete end bents founded on steel piles. The structure will be built with no skew and will provide a 34.6-foot clear roadway width along with a 36.6-foot out-to-out coping width. The geometry of the structure includes a wider north shoulder (9.25 feet) than the south shoulder (5.33 feet). The wider shoulder is necessary due to the phased construction of the bridge and to avoid the unnamed tributary (UNT) on the southwest quadrant of the project. New reinforced concrete approach slabs will be installed at the ends of the bridge, and full-depth pavement replacement will be included within the project limits. The proposed shoulders will taper back to the existing shoulder width using shoulder widening and compacted aggregate, and the lane widths will taper back from the proposed 10-foot lanes to the existing 9.5-foot lanes. New guardrail that meets the current INDOT design criteria will be installed at all four corners. Two driveways will be reconstructed due to the project impacts, and the intersection with Locust Drive will be resurfaced. An existing 24-inch diameter and 19-foot long corrugated metal drainage pipe that conveys drainage under the field entrance north of Wimberg Road and east of the bridge will be replaced with a 24-inch diameter by 33-foot long pipe. Project limits are centered on the bridge and surrounding roadway necessary to replace it, and were developed to minimize impacts to the extent possible while also addressing the purpose and need of the project. The total roadway reconstruction length will be 350 feet west and 400 feet east of the centerline structure which includes the project limits and the incidental construction limits. The need of this project is to address the existing deficiencies and deterioration of the single-span concrete arch bridge, conveying Wimberg Road over Locust Creek. The condition of the bridge continues to worsen and compromises the reliable transportation infrastructure for the motoring public. The deck and wearing surface have minor section loss and cracks noted, and the superstructure is exhibiting signs of deterioration. The substructure has advanced deterioration and exposed footings. The channel and channel protection are severely undermined and damaged and the foundations are unstable for scour conditions. In addition, the drainage pipe located northeast of the bridge conveying a field drive over roadside drainage will not be sufficient to support the roadway work at the current length The purpose of this project is to improve the transportation infrastructure reliability and provide a structurally sufficient bridge with a condition rating of at least very good (8 out of 9) to carry Wimberg Road over Locust Creek with adequate scour protection. The project requires approximately 0.56 acre of permanent right-of-way (ROW) from commercial, agricultural, and forested properties and requires approximately 0.125 acre of temporary ROW from residential, commercial, and agricultural properties. This project will not require the displacement or relocation of any residents or businesses. Impacts will occur to Locust Creek and UNT 1. Permanent impacts to Locust Creek will include the removal of the existing bridge and construction of the new bridge, with approximately 105 linear feet being impacted. Temporary impacts to Locust Creek include a cofferdam and a pump around to dewater the creek, with approximately 21 linear feet being impacted. No permanent impacts to UNT 1 will occur. Temporary impacts to UNT 1 include dewatering utilizing a pump intake and sump hole, with approximately 50 linear feet being impacted. Approximately 0.2 acre of tree clearing will occur. The Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) will consist of two phases, Phases 1 and 2. Phase 1 will close the westbound lane utilizing a temporary concrete barrier and temporary pavement markings, and will direct traffic onto the single eastbound lane. Two-way traffic will be maintained using a temporary traffic signal to direct traffic. Phase 2 will consist of the closure of the eastbound lane utilizing a temporary concrete barrier and temporary pavement markings to direct traffic onto the single westbound lane, allowing for both directions of traffic to be maintained utilizing a traffic signal to direct traffic. No existing pedestrian facilities are located within the project area. School corporations and emergency services will be notified prior to any construction that would block or limit access. The total estimated project cost is $4,322,000. Construction is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2028 and take approximately nine months. Federal and state funds are proposed to be used for the construction of this project. Vanderburgh County, INDOT and the FHWA have agreed that this project falls within the guidelines of a Categorical Exclusion (CE) Level 2 environmental document with no significant adverse impacts to the human and natural environment found during the creation of this document. The environmental document and preliminary design plans are available for review at the following locations: Egis, 8320 Craig Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46250 Vanderburgh County Engineer Department, 201 NW 4th Street, Room 306, Evansville, IN 47708 Vanderburgh County Public Library, 200 SE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Evansville, IN 47713 Website: https://bln.sharefile.com/public/share/web-sf45f967a6e1d4b97a0d4c2580d08ecce All interested persons may request a public hearing be held and/or submit comments to the attention of Katie Finney by email at katie.finney@egis-group.com, by phone at 317-806-4340, or by mail at 8320 Craig Street, Indianapolis, IN 46250 on or before Saturday, December 20, 2025. In addition, project information, including the environmental document, may be mailed to interested persons upon request. Persons with limited internet access may request project information be mailed, please contact Katie Finney by email at katie.finney@egis-group.com, by phone at 317-806-4340, or by mail at 8320 Craig Street, Indianapolis, IN 46250. In accordance with the "Americans with Disabilities Act", with advance notice, INDOT can provide accommodation for persons with disabilities with regards to participation and access to project information as part of the hearings process including arranging auxiliary aids, interpretation services for the hearing impaired, services for the sight impaired and other services as needed. In addition, INDOT will provide accommodations for persons of Limited English Proficiency (LEP) requiring auxiliary aids including language interpretation services and document conversion. Should accommodation be required, please contact Katie Finney at 317-806-4340 or katie.finney@egis-group.com or Rachel Lyle at 812-640-1119 or rlyle@indot.in.gov for information. This notice is published in compliance with Code of Federal Regulations, Title 23, Section 771 (CFR771.111 (h)(1) states: "Each State must have procedures approved by the FHWA to carry out a public involvement/ public hearing program." 23 CFR 450.212(a)(7) states: "Public involvement procedures shall provide for periodic review of the effectiveness of the public involvement process to ensure that the process provides full and open access to all and revision of the process as necessary." approved by the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation on July 7, 2021. HSPAXLP December 4, 11 2025 LSBN0414885