LEGAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING - DES. #2200540, 2200541 (Lead) SR 1 over Mississinewa River Bridge Project, Randolph County

LEGAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING - DES. #2200540, 2200541 (Lead) SR 1 over Mississinewa River Bridge Project, Randolph County The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) will host a public hearing on Monday, May 11, 2026 at the Monroe Central School Corporation Administration Building in the Millennium Room– 1918 N. County Road 1000 W., Parker City, IN 47368. The formal portion of the hearing will begin at 6:00 p.m. The purpose of the public hearing is to offer all interested persons an opportunity to comment on current preliminary design plans, the environmental document, and Section 106 document for the State Road (SR) 1 over Mississinewa River Bridge Project in Randolph County. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and project team members will be available before and following the formal hearing procedure. The need for this project is due to the deteriorated condition of the superstructure and substructure of the existing structure, SR 1 over Mississinewa River bridge in Randolph County, Indiana, INDOT Bridge No. 001-68-03408 C (National Bridge Inventory [NBI] No. 000300). The superstructure and substructure currently show structural deficiencies including areas of corrosion, collision damage, pitting and paint loss on trusses as well as minor longitudinal cracking on the deck. The purpose of this project is to extend the functional life of this bridge and provide continued access across the Mississinewa River. This bridge is considered eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (National Register) under Criterion C, with significance in the area of engineering. It is a representative example of the ISHC's fourth generation standard truss plan for 150-foot spans. The bridge was also determined to be "Select" per the parameters of the Indiana Historic Bridge Inventory. Impacts to the historic bridge are being processed under the "Programmatic Agreement Regarding Management and Preservation of Indiana's Historic Bridges" (HBPA). Per the terms of the HBPA, the Federal Highway Administration - Indiana Division (FHWA) will satisfy its responsibilities involving "Select" and "Non-Select" bridges through the Project Development Process (PDP) of the HBPA (Stipulation III) to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966. The project is located along SR 1 approximately 0.82 mile south of SR 28. This historic bridge is subject to the conditions of the HBPA. As such, a Historic Bridge Alternative Analysis (HBAA) was completed that describes the project's purpose and need, as well as an evaluation of alternatives to meet the purpose and need. The existing bridge is a 412-foot two span Parker through truss bridge. The bridge has two 12-foot-wide travel lanes, one in each direction, with 2-foot-wide shoulders, for a total clear roadway width of 28 feet. Guardrails are present on both sides of SR 1 leading up to and across the bridge. There are no sidewalks on the bridge or approaches. The project consists of rehabilitating the SR 1 bridge for continued vehicular access within historic preservation guidelines found in the Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. The proposed alternative improvements include the cleaning and painting of the bridge's structural steel, a thin deck overlay on the bridge deck, cleaning and repair of the deck joints, and minor structural repairs. These structural repairs include the replacement of bearing anchor bolts, truss connection rivets and lacing bars, repair of the portal frames and sway frames on Span B and Span C, repairing deteriorated sections of the bridge railing, and substructure concrete patching. During project development, recent collision damage was noted in the August 4, 2025, INDOT Routine Bridge Inspection Report. In response to this newly identified damage, the project scope was updated to include signage with always flashing lights to help drivers more clearly recognize the restricted vertical clearance. The preferred alternative meets the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and preserves the historic integrity of the bridge. Construction is anticipated to begin in Spring of 2027. The proposed maintenance of traffic includes closing the bridge and rerouting traffic using a posted detour route that utilizes SR 28, US 27 and SR 32. Access to all properties will be maintained during construction. Maintenance of traffic details will be presented during the public hearing. INDOT will coordinate with emergency services, public transit, local school corporation officials, and project stakeholders to ensure potential disruptions and impacts are minimized as much as possible. No impacts are anticipated to streams and wetlands. It is anticipated that no more than eight trees, approximately 0.14 acre, will need to be trimmed, and no more than 15 feet trimmed from those branches to provide access to the structure as well as prevent future tree limbs falling on the structure. The proposed project will need to reacquire right-of-way consisting of 1.2 acres of land adjacent to the structure for the work to be completed and for future maintenance of the structure. The right-of-way to be reacquired is the area approximately 50 feet from the center of the roadway on each side of SR 1. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) requires Federal agencies to take into account the effects of their undertakings on historic properties. The proposed project does not involve any properties eligible for the NRHP aside from the subject bridge. INDOT, on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), has signed a determination of "No Historic Properties Affected" for the project. In accordance with the NHPA, the views of the public are being sought regarding the effect of the proposed project on the historic elements as per 36 CFR 800.2(d), 800.3(e) and 800.6(a)(4). Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.6(a)(4), the documentation of no historic properties affected specified in 36 CFR 800.11(d) is available for inspection in the repository locations listed below. The documentation can also be viewed electronically by accessing INDOT's Section 106 document posting website IN SCOPE at https://erms12c.indot.in.gov/Section106Documents/. This documentation serves as the basis for the "No Historic Properties Affected" finding. Federal and state funds are proposed to be used for construction of this project. INDOT and FHWA have agreed that this project poses minimal impact to the natural environment. A Categorical Exclusion (CE) environmental document has been prepared for the project. The public hearing serves as the opportunity for the public to comment on both the environmental document and the 800.11(d) documentation for Section 106. All comments collected before, during, and after the hearing through Tuesday, May 26, 2026 will be taken into consideration. The environmental documentation, Section 106, and preliminary design information are available to view at the following locations: 1. Albany Community Library located at 105 S Broadway St, Albany, IN 47320 2. INDOT Greenfield District – East Central Indiana Office located at 32 S Broadway St, Greenfield, IN 46140 3. Greenfield Website: https://www.in.gov/indot/about-indot/central-office/welcome-to-the-greenfield-district/greenfield-district-current-projects/s.r.-1-bridge-rehabilitation-in-randolph-county/ 4. Copies of project documents can be mailed upon request by contacting INDOT Customer Service at 855-INDOT4U (1-855-463-6848). Public statements for the record will be taken as part of the public hearing procedure. All verbal statements recorded during the public hearing and all written comments submitted prior to, during and for a period of two weeks following the hearing date, will be evaluated, considered and addressed in subsequent environmental documentation. Written comments may be submitted prior to the public hearing and within the comment period to Brooke Vorbeck, Environmental Specialist, Michael Baker International, 3815 River Crossing Parkway, Suite 300, Indianapolis, IN 46240 or email: brooke.vorbeck@mbakerintl.com. INDOT requests comments be postmarked by Tuesday, May 26, 2026, to be included as part of the public hearing record. In accordance with Indiana Code 5-14-1.5-2.9, INDOT is offering livestreams of all public hearings. You must register at the following link in order to participate in the livestream: https://www.in.gov/indot/about-indot/central-office/welcome-to-the-greenfield-district/greenfield-district-current-projects/s.r.-1-bridge-rehabilitation-in-randolph-county/. Comments from livestream attendees will only be accepted in electronic written form, not verbally. A recording of the livestream will be posted to the INDOT YouTube page after the hearing and will also be linked to the project webpage where project materials are also available. The recording will be available online for at least 90 days. Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or family status. Persons who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with regards to participation and access to project information or persons with limited English proficiency who require translation services (provided by INDOT free of charge) should contact INDOT Customer Service at 855-INDOT4U (1-855-463-6848) or brooke.vorbeck@mbakerintl.com, at least seven (7) days prior to the hearing. This notice is published in compliance with: 1) Code of Federal Regulations, Title 23, Section 771 (CFR 771.111(h)(1) stating, "Each State must have procedures approved by the FHWA to carry out a public involvement/public hearing program."; 2) 23 CFR 450.210(a)(1)(ix) stating, "Provide for the periodic review of the effectiveness of the public involvement process to ensure that the process provides full and open access to all interested parties and revise the process, as appropriate."; and 3) The 2021 INDOT Project Development Public Involvement Procedures Manual approved by the FHWA. April 24, May 1 2026 LSBN0499869