AUBURN, Ind. (WANE) — Thanks to funding from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), the City of Auburn will move forward with a project to address traffic delays on the city’s south side.
On Friday, INDOT provided Auburn with over $9.8 million in funding to help pay for the reconstruction of Wayne Street that will include an overpass over the CSX railroad tracks.
According to the City of Auburn, the railroad tracks on Wayne Street carry around 40 trains each day, and Wayne Street itself carries around 7,000 vehicles each day, causing constant traffic delays.
“It is one of the biggest complaints heard by my office,” said Auburn Mayor Mike Ley.
The project is estimated to cost $14.2 million, but with the INDOT funding, the City of Auburn said it will only be contributing roughly 24% of the project costs through local sources.
“This is an amazing day for the City of Auburn and its residents and businesses,” Mayor Ley said. “Train traffic and its delays have been a major issue on the south side of town for years.”
The proposed structure is expected to be a single-span bridge with integral end beams that will also include the installation of new sidewalks with lighting on each side.
Ley said the project will also aid in the response times for emergency services and the development of the city’s growth and development.
The City of Auburn is currently working with a local company on pre-engineering for the project.
The funding will not be released to the city until fiscal year 2028.
As reported by WANE 15