State Road 135 Safety Concerns



    Meeting Minutes, May 25, 2006

    On May 25, 2006, WRCU presented our concerns relative to the configuration and safety
    of State Road 135 between County Line Road and Smith Valley Road. In attendance were
    Mayor Henderson, Police Chief Pritcher, Senator Waltz , Representative Burton, and
    INDOT Operations Engineer Ed Cox. Invited, but not in attendance were Representative
    Frizzell and Senator Young. There were approximately 7 concerned citizens, several of
    which are active in the WRCU organization. The meeting was chaired by John Griffin.

    Posted on the wall during the discussion was our map of State Road 135 that is contained
    in the document WRCU 2006-001. After a discussion of the safety issues associated with
    this corridor, those suggested highway revisions contained in the document were
    overlayed on the map. The outline of the presentation is as follows:

    a) History of WRCU action on concerns for the corridor
    b) SR 135 accident summary from Greenwood Police Department data
    c) SR 135 accident data analysis for Accident Rate and comparison with national averaged
    rates
    d) US 31 accident data analysis for Accident Rate and a comparison to the SR 135 rate
    e) Letter to INDOT requesting Safety Analysis (with an update by Mr. Cox on the status of
    that analysis)
    f) Proposed action plan
    g) Discussion and convergence on an immediate action plan

    The attachments to these minutes are the material that was presented in each of items
    above.

    In the discussion phase we were pleased that Representative Burton suggested the need
    for an action team to formulate a development plan for the entire SR 135 corridor through
    Bargersville. He indicated that the 2010 SR 135 improvements could be used as a way to
    galvanize people to action regarding a “test zone” for implementing access standards to a
    lengthy section of the roadway (Stones Crossing to Bargersville being mentioned), and
    that it would be necessary for all so involved to “stand firm” in seeing that the zone was
    kept as planned without variances being granted to developers. He had an expression of
    voice suggesting that he was prepared to work with county and city officials along the route
    such as to achieve an agreement that they all would follow in their respective development
    planning and approval procedures.

    Mayor Henderson agreed with this strategy and volunteered to bring such a team together.
    He indicated that June was a busy month, but he would try to get the effort started as soon
    as possible. We expect WRCU to be included in this effort along with INDOT, Johnson
    County, City of Greenwood, and City of Bargersville. This could well serve as a pilot project
    for the state Access Management project.

    Mr. Cox of INDOT is proceeding slowly, but with much forethought, in his safety analysis.
    He believes that with signal synchronization, he will be able to achieve safer traffic gaps for
    the cross traffic left turns. He will need some time to accumulate traffic accident data to
    prove his point. He is anxious to screen the accident reports to define more accurately
    where conflict points exists, and thereby be more accurate in his proposal for
    improvements. I believe this meeting set the stage for his recommendations to be heard
    and acted upon.

    Representative Burton mentioned that he is going to be working to pull forward the
    currently planned date of 2010 for the SR 135 improvement project. He felt that if the
    SR135 action team of Mayor Henderson could get its work done, that could be integrated
    into this pull ahead effort.

    Presentation made to local officials, May 25 2006 (PowerPoint, 108KB)