Rebuilding will take time

Public must stay away from collapsed Hazel Dell Parkway bridge

Submitted by City of Carmel

Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam, city leaders, and Hamilton County Commissioner Christine Altman gave a press conference on Monday, Aug. 17, to share crucial safety updates and infrastructure status reports regarding flooding impacts.

Mayor Finkam briefed the community on this highly complex and evolving situation and potential new risks while emphasizing coordinated response efforts.

“We will continue to work closely with county, state and federal agencies and private partners to coordinate remediation and response efforts,” Mayor Finkam said. “We understand the severity of the damage, and while these are tough circumstances, we will remain honest and transparent to assure you that we are doing everything possible to mitigate this issue.”

City Engineer Bradley Pease reported that floodwaters continue to reverse the flow of Blue Woods Creek towards the Martin Marietta quarry.

“These floodwaters are cutting a channel back towards the White River,” Pease said. “If the channel connects to the river, river water will divert into the channel, potentially causing a temporary drop in the riverbed water level until the water levels in the quarry and river equalize. Additionally, if this occurs, with the structural integrity of the bridge severely compromised, a high likelihood exists of collapse of the bridge into the creek bed and surrounding quarry area.”

Commissioner Christine Altman confirmed that the Hazel Dell Parkway bridge just south of 106^th Street is considered a total loss. Under local jurisdictional guidelines, the bridge structure itself is a county asset, while Hazel Dell Parkway is maintained by the City of Carmel. Altman noted that state legislative provisions allow officials to expedite design and reconstruction contracts, emphasizing that county and city leadership are moving as quickly as possible while remaining cost-competitive.

Click here to see drone footage of the bridge on the city’s YouTube channel.

Utility crews are also addressing force main pipes that carry sewage located eight to 10 feet below the original creek bed.

“To address environmental discharging into the nearby quarry should the force mains fail under the shifting channel, we are beginning the process of the bypass solution to address the failure and this process could take several days,” Carmel Utilities Director Lane Young said.

Young assured residents that the city’s drinking water system remains safe and fully operational, despite the loss of certain production wells.

“The drinking water system remains fully intact and our supply remains safe, and we’re continuing to monitor the situation,” Young said.

City leadership recognizes that evacuated residents are anxious to return home and begin the process of cleaning up. However, due to ongoing safety hazards and compromised infrastructure, residents must be escorted back to their homes by first responders before re-entry is permitted. Residents requiring access or re-entry assistance should contact local non-emergency dispatch at (317) 773-1282.

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For a list of resources for assistance or for volunteer opportunities, visit the city’s Safety Resources webpage.