Officials approve unofficial local detour for planned 20-day closure on State Road 32

Boone County commissioners approved a letter of understanding to allow an unofficial local detour during a planned 20-day closure of State Road 32 east of State Road 75, expected to start as early as June 2 after Western Boone schools dismiss for summer.

County highway staff said the state will replace four culverts as part of a project to add an additional passing lane, and that the official detour is lengthy. The county's unofficial local detour was identified as 650 West and 250 South, roadways the county maintains and expects to receive a large volume of redirected traffic for about 20 days.

Staff told commissioners they coordinated with the state and requested dust control for the gravel sections because of the anticipated spike in traffic and noted that the state will reimburse the county only for expenses incurred on a single route. The presenter said one of the local roads is gravel and residents can expect hundreds of vehicles per day using that surface during the closure, increasing wear and resident inconvenience.

Commissioners voted to execute the letter of understanding with INDOT. Staff said the detour will require temporary barricades and traffic management and reiterated that reimbursement from INDOT would be limited to one designated county route.