New railroad overpasses and wider highways are some of the projects that the Indiana Department of Transportation is working on in Elkhart County.
A project to widen U.S. 20 to five lanes between State Road 15 and County Road 35 was largely completed last fall. A second section to State Road 13 is set to be built in 2028 or 2029. INDOT officials note that it includes a center turn lane, as well as wide shoulders to accommodate bikes and buggies.
“Obviously, we know what the population of Elkhart County is,” INDOT Northeast District Public Relations Director Hunter Petroviak told reporters after Tuesday’s INDOT Luncheon hosted by the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce. “We have a lot of people who use cars, a lot of people who use buggies, and the expansion in that area is important, just with all of the extra traffic that we see go through there and all of the extra traffic that we’re expecting to see go through there.”
A project to resurface and widen parts of U.S. 33 near Goshen is set to start in 2028.
Meanwhile, a railroad overpass is currently being built on Sunnyside Avenue near U.S. 33, with funding from the state’s Local Trax program. An overpass on Hively Avenue is set to start next spring.
The Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce’s own priorities include a project to upgrade County Road 17 to a limited partial-access “super two” highway, starting next year.
But it’s also looking to make travel safer and easier for bicyclists and pedestrians. The city of Elkhart is investing half a million dollars in curb ramps and audible pedestrian signals, and it’s using a state Community Crossings Matching Grant to reconfigure 2nd Street downtown into a lower-speed, two-way street.
“This project will include lowering the street pavement to expose more curbing, restriping that angled parking, remove traffic signals, and reconstruct the sidewalks and driveways,” explained Chris Norvell, a member of the chamber’s transportation council.
Meanwhile, the city of Elkhart has secured federal funding for a path from High Dive Park to Walker Park, but construction isn’t expected until 2032. Additionally, the Pumpkinvine Trails Coalition is working toward a county-wide trail network.
“If you’ve spent any time on those trails, you know how vital they are, not just for fun and exercise, but also a means of getting back and forth,” Norvell added. “A lot of people use them every day.”
