Noblesville Bypass Coalition asks Jensen to evaluate Pleasant Street alternative route to prevent job loss, increased costs

A group of concerned citizens of Noblesville is asking Mayor Chris Jensen to take time to evaluate his suggested alternative route to extend Pleasant Street west over the White River. The Noblesville Bypass Coalition charges that the Mayor’s plan would add an unnecessary roundabout and force a major employer out of Noblesville. Their campaign is called “Pick The Right Route.”

The Coalition is being led by IDI Composites International, a high-tech manufacturer in Noblesville, and its employees who say they will have no choice but to move from their current location on 7th Street where they have been for over 50 years.

Mayor Jensen is proposing a new alternative to the Pleasant Street Extension called B-1 that adds a second roundabout within 100 yards of the first roundabout at 8th St. and then cuts through IDI’s campus. The Coalition supports an extension of Pleasant Street to reduce traffic through downtown Noblesville, but they do not believe the Mayor has taken enough time to evaluate his suggested route to find the best alternative. The B-1 alternative route is intended to go around the newly designated historic neighborhood of Plum Prairie.

“We believe there are better alternatives to what the Mayor is suggesting, but he seems unwilling to listen to his constituents to find the best solution,” said Tom Merrell, President and CEO of IDI Composites International. “We value our community and we want to stay in Noblesville. But if Mayor Jensen’s plan is approved, we will be forced to move our facility in which we have invested over $15 million since 2012. The Mayor’s Pleasant Street Extension design ruins both the functionality of our operations and the desired visual aesthetic we wish to convey to our high-tech, Fortune 500 visitors from around the globe.”

IDI Composites International, which began in 1966, employs almost 100 people at its manufacturing, research and development, and world headquarters in Noblesville at an average salary of $73,000 plus benefits. The company has said that it likely would not relocate in Noblesville due to the high cost. IDI has also contributed over $1 million in community and civic projects in recent years.

Members of the Coalition attended a Community Advisory Committee meeting on Nov. 12 where consultants for the City presented its B-1 alternative route. Despite a number of questions and concerns from the audience, the consultants indicated that they had already settled on their suggested route.

The Coalition is asking the Mayor to slow down and study the best alternative rather than rush to get the B-1 route approved.

Pick The Right Route invites members of the public to view their website at picktherightroute.com.