LEGAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Des. Nos. 2401424, 2401505, 2401506 Proposed Improvements to State Road 2 at Larrison Boulevard/Strawberry Road in St. Joseph County

LEGAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Des. Nos. 2401424, 2401505, 2401506 Proposed Improvements to State Road 2 at Larrison Boulevard/Strawberry Road in St. Joseph County The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) will host a public hearing on Monday, March 30, 2026, at New Prairie High School; 5333 N Cougar Rd, New Carlisle, IN 46552 (use north parking lot/Door W6). The purpose of the public hearing is to offer all interested persons an opportunity to comment on current preliminary design plans for the proposed interchange improvement project at S.R. 2 and Larrison Blvd./Strawberry Rd. in St. Joseph County, Indiana. Doors will open at 5:30 PM CT / 6:30 PM ET to view displays and meet the project team, followed by a presentation at 6 PM CT / 7 PM ET and an opportunity for public comment. The display area will remain open following the presentation. Project team members will be available before and after the presentation to answer questions and explain materials. The project is needed to address expected increases in traffic due to ongoing and planned development in the area, including the Indiana Enterprise Center (IEC), a large industrial development located near the intersection. A recent traffic study shows that without improvements, the intersection is expected to experience significant congestion, longer wait times, and increased safety concerns. The purpose of the project is to improve traffic flow, reduce delays, and enhance safety, while maintaining efficient travel along S.R. 2. As proposed, the project involves converting the existing two-way stop-controlled intersection to a grade-separated interchange with a design referred to as a diverging diamond. The interchange will include construction of two bridges carrying Larrison Blvd. over S.R. 2, four single-lane interchange ramps, widening of Larrison Blvd. and Strawberry Rd., installation of new traffic signals north and south of S.R. 2, and removal of direct access between Snowberry Rd. and S.R. 2. S.R. 2 will maintain four 12-foot travel lanes with 8- to 10-foot outside shoulders and 4-foot inside shoulders. Stormwater detention basins will be constructed within interchange ramp infields, and drainage structures will be extended or replaced as necessary. The project will require approximately 54 acres of limited access right-of-way (ROW), 1.4 acres of new permanent ROW, and 0.5 acre of temporary ROW. The project is expected to require the total acquisition of five properties located north of S.R. 2 and east of Larrison Blvd. Environmental considerations include approximately 3 acres of tree clearing, potential water resource impacts, and coordination related to hazardous materials, pipelines, and protected bat species habitat. No pedestrian facilities are currently present within the project area. The maintenance of traffic (MOT) for the project will be implemented in phases. At least one lane of traffic in each direction on S.R. 2 will be maintained throughout construction. Temporary lane shifts, possible crossovers, and temporary closures or detours of Larrison Blvd. and/or Strawberry Rd. may be required. All traffic control will comply with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Access to properties will be maintained throughout construction. School corporations and emergency services will be notified of closures prior to construction. Construction is anticipated to begin in spring of 2026. Federal, State, and local funds are proposed to be used for construction of this project. An Environmental Assessment has been prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The environmental document, along with preliminary design plans, will be available to view at the following locations: • New Carlisle Olive Township Public Library – 408 Bray Street, New Carlisle, IN 46552 • INDOT Northwest District Office – 315 E Boyd Blvd, LaPorte, IN 46350 • INDOT Project Website - bit.ly/SR2LarrisonBlvd Project materials can be accessed on INDOT's website, including the public hearing presentation. Persons with limited internet access may visit the locations listed above or contact the project team to request project information by mail: Lochmueller Group, Attn: Nicole Minton, 112 West Jefferson Blvd., Suite 500, South Bend, IN 46601, Nicole.Minton@lochgroup.com, (812) 759-4179. Notice of Livestreamed Public Hearing: 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 bit.ly/SR2LarrisonBlvdHearing. During the hearing, comments from livestream attendees will only be accepted in written electronic format, 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 listed above where project materials are also available. The recording will be available online for at least 90 days. 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 (2) 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 Nicole Minton with Lochmueller Group, using the contact information above. We respectfully request that all comments be submitted by 5:00 PM CT on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. With advance notice, INDOT will provide accommodations for persons with disabilities with regards to participation and access to project information as part of the hearing 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 Nicole Minton with Lochmueller Group using the contact information above. This notice is published in compliance with Code of Federal Regulations, Title 23, Section 771 (CFR 771.111(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. March 15, 22 2026 LSBN0476859