Residents get info on Bass Road project

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) People who live along Bass Road in Fort Wayne got the chance Tuesday night to see how a major new construction project will affect their lives.

The Allen County Highway Department held a formal presentation to explain the plan at The Pointe Church.

The proposed improvements include intersection upgrades at both Hadley Road and Kroemer Road and overall widening from Hillegas Road to Scott Road. Construction is not expected to begin until 2014.

The plans call for the road to be widened to three lanes: one eastbound lane, one westbound lane, and a continuous center two-way turn lane. The work will include improved sight distances, road shoulder and drainage improvements, bridge improvements, and a 10-foot wide multi-use trail to be constructed on one side of the road.

The first phase will be reconstruction of the Bass Road-Hadley Road intersection, currently scheduled for bid letting early in 2014. This phase adds turn lanes, traffic signal, drainage, and sidewalk improvements. All work is within about 800 feet of the intersection.

Phase two is scheduled for approximately one year later and will make similar improvements at the Kroemer Road intersection. Work on this phase will be within 1,200 feet of the intersection.

The rest of the construction could take several years, depending on the availability of funds.

The estimated cost for the entire project is expected to be $38.5 million, 80 percent of which will be covered by federal funds.