The expansive Regional development project for Walnut Street in Evansville is currently in both Phase 2 and Phase 3.
Overall, this project was designed to increase non-motorized transportation options, along with rebuilding the roadway itself with gutters and curbs. There is also new “green” infrastructure to separate stormwater from the combines sanitary/storm sewer system.
You can read more about it here
Motorists familiar with driving through Walnut anywhere on the east side, are also familiar with its bevy of detours.
But, the final phase — Phase 3 of the Walnut Street Improvement Project started Monday. and it should be completed in late 2025.
It runs from US 41 toward downtown Evansville ending at MLK Jr. Boulevard.
City Engineer Michael Labitzke said this section will resemble the other phases — the already completed Phase 1, which is between US 41 and Weinbach Avenue, and Phase 2, which is under construction and will be done by the end of 2023.
“This was part of a regional development project, which included the construction of a multi use path, which just gives the citizens the ability to do multimodal transportation; there's a 10-foot wide bike path that will now connect downtown to state hospital.”
This multimodal pathway is for bikes, wheelchairs, feet, etcetera, and is separated from the motorway by a raised curb. Because the lanes are being reduced from two east and two west, to one in either direction with a passing lane, this is considered a “road diet.”
That multimodal pash will replace the sidewalk on the north side of the street.
Joshua Craig is with general contractor American Structure Point. He said Phase 3 itself will be subdivided into 17 phases — the first being US 41 to South New York Avenue — fewer than two blocks.
“So they're shorter phases,” Craig said. “It's hopefully going to be less impact to the public.”
Whatever the phase, the detour for motorists will likely include Lincoln Avenue.
The next part of Phase 2 includes a new project at the intersection of Walnut Street and Vann Avenue and will include a “pedestrian table” —
“Which will raise the pavement up through the intersection requiring traffic to slow as they cross the intersection, which will make it safer then for pedestrians and bicyclists crossing ban Avenue,” said Labitzke, standing near the barricade from Vann to Walnut. He said this intersection project starts Wednesday and will take 30 days.
Phase 2 of the project represents the “middle” section, and runs from Vann Avenue to Weinbach Avenue.
Overall, this project will cost $40.4 million dollars. Phase I is $5.3 million, Phase 2 is $13.8 million, Phase 3 is $21.3 million dollars, according to Labitzke.
According to the city, the project corridor is approximately 3.1 miles and is a “major route” for Metropolitan Evansville Transit System (METS).
Engineering for the project began in 2018.
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