Upgrades to U.S. 30 and U.S. 31 remain on the governor’s radar, as he sets his goals for the coming years. Governor Eric Holcomb presented his 2021 Next Level Agenda last week, and continuing with long-term planning for the two highways made it onto his list of infrastructure goals, “Making progress on an Indy-to-South Bend ‘cruise control’ U.S. 31 and major corridor improvements on U.S. 30.”
Local governments along U.S. 30 have formed a coalition to push for the highway to be upgraded to freeway standards, as INDOT considers improvement projects. But the state’s interest appeared to have slowed in recent years, and the uncertainty drew concerns from some local officials.
Meanwhile, Holcomb also wants to boost non-motorized transportation infrastructure. He said he’s looking to take steps to make Indiana “one of the most trail-friendly states in the nation.” “We’ll look to restart our $90 million state investment in community trails, to move us toward an even more interconnected system of trails throughout all of Indiana,” the governor said.
The Next Level Trails Grant program was put on hold in the spring, due to funding uncertainty caused by the pandemic. Locally, plans are in the works to extend the Erie Trail in Starke County and the Panhandle Pathway in Pulaski and Cass counties.
You can learn more about Holcomb’s 2021 Next Level Agenda on the Governor’s Office website.
