INDOT’s 421 Forward project in important traffic study phase

The Indiana Department of Transportation’s (INDOT) proposed 421 Forward project is in the middle of a critical phase of analyzing traffic, which will help inform the future design.

The project, located on U.S. 421 between Greenfield/Templin Road/121^st Street up to County Road 300 South/146^th Street, will help address driver and pedestrian mobility needs.

Before construction and full design work begins, the INDOT design team conducts a traffic analysis to determine what, if any, improvements should be made along the corridor. INDOT has partnered with American Structurepoint, a leading architecture and engineering firm, to provide design and analysis for the project.

For traffic studies like the one being conducted on the 421 Forward project, the design team assesses how a road is performing by evaluating both current day traffic and the expected performance of traffic in the future. The team says this analysis takes into consideration future growth of traffic related to population growth and planned developments in the surrounding area.

The team examines how an intersection performs during typical peak morning and evening commute times. By using the latest software tools, American Structurepoint’s engineers determine the level of service, delay, and queuing that drivers currently experience on a regular basis. The team then forecasts how additional traffic would impact these traffic metrics at each intersection. These findings are used to recommend what types of road improvements can create a better, safer environment for drivers and pedestrians.

The team can analyze how the road and major intersections would perform with additional travel lanes, added turn lanes, traffic signal control, roundabouts, or other improvements. This information is then used by the design team to determine what combination of improvements should be made to handle current and future traffic demands.

Once American Structurepoint completes the traffic analysis, the project moves to the design phase, which is anticipated to last through 2026. Visit 421Forward.com to learn more about the project.