The goal to create a more attractive gateway from the north into downtown Shelbyville will not come without hassles.
The North Riley Highway project will begin its next phase this month with the creation of islands in between the north and south bound lanes and an extension of the walking trail to Rampart Road.
Roundabouts also will be created at the entrance to the new Isabella Farms subdivision and at Michigan Road at the Knauf entrance.
On Monday at the Shelbyville Common Council meeting, Mayor Scott Furgeson talked about CSX agreeing to work on the railroad intersection on North Riley Highway just before the North Harrison Street bridge.
CSX has yet to state when the expected two-week rehabilitation project will commence or if it will close all lanes on North Riley Highway to complete the project.
“Those railroad tracks need re-done,” said Furgeson Wednesday morning at City Hall. “We got a grant to get it done but it will be done by CSX. We have no control. We are trying to coordinate when they do it. We don’t know if they are going to do northbound or southbound or north and southbound together.”
Furgeson anticipates CSX closing both directions simultaneously to get the project completed.
That would cut off a major thoroughfare into the city and force emergency services to redirect when covering the north side of the city or ambulance service attempting to get to Major Health Partners Medical Center.
“We can use the Knauf bridge,” said Furgeson, which would circumvent the railroad crossing project. “We have already reached out to (Knauf) and they are agreeable to that.”
Furgeson stated he does not want the project to start until the current school session ends on May 23 so school busses can continue their normal routes.
“We are trying to work on that and get it done but we don’t have any idea right now where we’re at,” said Furgeson.
In conjunction with the CSX project, the city will perform work on the North Harrison Street bridge.
“We are working with the county to re-deck the bridge just like we did at Lee Boulevard,” said Furgeson. “The decking on it is kind of bad. We will coordinate that work to be done when the railroad tracks are being done, so it’s not a further inconvenience.”
The Shelby County Post is a digital newspaper producing news, sports, obituaries and more without a pay wall or subscription needed.
GSH approves 2026 budget
Sumner boil order ends, trash pickup delayed
IDNR revises waterfowl zone
Two Lawrence County men charged
2026 Miss Illinois County Fair Pageant coming in January
Unit #20 Board hears about heat and new athletic facility proposal
Indiana's state parks offer New Years Day events
Parkview hosts annual school spelling bee
Crawford County man charged with sex crimes
Voter registration underway in Lawrence County
DNR receives regional award for project on former mine land near Pleasantville
Unit #10 Board hosts project open house
County to assist in Sumner street improvements
BMV announces Christmas and New Year's Day holiday hours
Bridgeport boil order lifted
Gregg Park project to move forward
St. Francisville hires water engineer
