The City of Elkhart has secured the largest federal grant in its history—a $19 million award from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Railroad Crossing Elimination Program. The funds will support the construction of a railroad overpass at Hively Avenue, designed to reduce traffic congestion and enhance safety in the area.
Construction on the project is scheduled to begin in fall 2025, with completion expected in 2027. Mayor Rod Roberson said the initiative aligns with the city’s "Aspire Elkhart" plan, which focuses on four key pillars: public safety, infrastructure, quality of place, and neighborhoods.
“Our Aspire Elkhart plan was in four areas, and this particular grade separation at Hively actually hits all four,” Roberson said.
The Hively Avenue crossing is currently a bottleneck, with approximately 75 trains passing through each day, blocking traffic for about three and a half hours daily, according to Tory Irwin, Elkhart’s director of public works.
“Approximately 75 trains move over the line each day, blocking traffic for about three and a half hours,” Irwin said.
Residents should anticipate road closures on Hively Avenue and Sterling Avenue during the two-year construction period, Irwin noted.
“Hively, Main Street, the side streets coming off Hively and Main Street at that intersection... all those will be closed during the two years of construction, in different windows, so they’re not all going to be closed for the entire time,” he said.
The overpass project is expected to alleviate significant traffic disruptions while improving safety and connectivity for Elkhart residents.
