Main Street and Keystone Parkway Construction Begins Today

Construction activities are set to begin at the intersection of Main Street and Keystone Parkway. Beginning on Monday, December 28, 2009 crews will begin to clear the right of way for the construction of the Main Street and Keystone Parkway interchange. Three existing structures at the intersection will also be removed as part of the work at Main Street. Utility relocations are also underway at this intersection.

Large construction activities associated with the building of the interchange will begin at a later date, with full closures to Main Street and Keystone cross traffic to occur on or after April 15, 2010. More details will become available as a construction schedule is finalized. Similar to the 45 day closure of Keystone during the construction of the 136th Street interchange, the interchange construction at Main Street will result in a closure of Keystone Parkway for a 45 day period. By closing Keystone, the City will save $537,566.59 and shave 45 days from the Main Street construction timeline.

The low bid for this phase of the project came from Walsh Construction, which was $11,746,734. This bid, for the sixth and final interchange of this project, brings the total construction cost for all six interchanges to just under American Structurepoint’s original estimate for the entire project of $112 million.

Due to the compact design of these interchanges, it was only necessary to purchase three properties. Other designs considered, like the standard tight diamond, would have resulted in the taking of 40 residential properties at this intersection. Negotiations for the properties have been ongoing, and the properties have been clear since November.

The Main Street interchange is the final phase of a three-year project to lower the grade of Keystone Parkway under six major interchanges along the five-mile stretch. When completed, the north-south traffic on Keystone Parkway will be free-flowing with no traffic lights between 96th Street and 146th Street, and tear-drop shaped roundabouts interchanges will manage the east-west traffic flow.

For more information on the project log on to www.CarmelLink.org.