A roundabout at 96th Street and Allisonville Road is expected to open in late October.
The roundabout replaces Michigan’s widely despised left turn that was in place for about a decade. That design eliminated left turns in all directions in favor of a right turn followed by a U-turn.
But with a large mixed-use nature park and a city park under construction on the northwest corner of the intersection, Fishers decided the time was right to build the intersection.
The Riverplace Apartments will be seven buildings with 380 units and a green space in the middle. The project includes a one-story retail building with a full-service restaurant and other food-related outlets. White River Park will have 2.5 miles of trails leading to Fishers Heritage Park at 106th Street and Allisonville.
City Engineering Director Hatem Mekky said many motorists found Michigan Left confusing.
“This will make access to Riverplace and all businesses easier,” he said.
The roundabout will be open Oct. 28 and minor work, mainly landscaping within the roundabout, will continue until spring 2025. A “gateway” sign welcoming drivers to Fishers could be installed, Mekky said.
The intersection is bordered by Indianapolis to the south and Carmel to the west. The roundabout likely won’t feature as many sculptures as many in Carmel, including at four intersections on 96th Street where classic cars are on display.
The Nickel Plate Trail bridge is underway
Fishers also unveiled the design of a pedestrian bridge over 96th Street on the Nickel Plate Trail east of the intersection.
The bridge should be completed by fall 2025 and connect the Nickel Plate to the Indianapolis portion of the trail that is under construction. Bids for the contractor for a $6 million project will open Monday and construction will begin soon after, Mekky said.
The bridge will have concrete arches with cables that support the bridge deck and colored LED lighting. The side walls of the approaches, or ramps, to the bridge will feature the insignia of the city of Fishers, the Nickel Plate Trail and Andretti Global, which is building a new headquarters at the Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport near 96th Street.
The bridge itself will be 65 meters long and a total of 1,640 meters including the ramps.
A $4.5 million Next Level Trails Grant program from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation will cover most of the bridge’s cost.
Call IndyStar reporter John Tuohy at 317-444-6418 or email him at john.tuohy@indystar.com. Follow him on Facebook and X/Tweet.
This article originally appeared on the Indianapolis Star: Roundabout at 96th and Allisonville Road, which opens in late October
