Klondike Road to become four lanes

TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - Plans for a nearly $9 million road project in Tippecanoe County is currently in the works. 

Right now Klondike Road is only two lanes wide. However, Tippecanoe County Highway officials said by 2016 the portion of Klondike Road from U.S. 52 to Lindberg will have a whole new look with a whole lot of extra room for drivers.

"It will be four lanes which will accommodate the amount of traffic that currently exists on Klondike," Executive Director of the Tippecanoe County Area Plan Commission Sally Fehey said.

"It will also include sidewalks and a trail along the side of it," Executive Director and engineer for the Tippecanoe County Highway Department Opal Kuhl said. "With Klondike School we have a lot of foot traffic down the edge of that roadway and there's no where to really walk up and down there."

Kuhl said while they'll be expanding Klondike Road to four lanes, they won't have to remove any existing buildings or homes while doing so.

"It's two lanes right now so if you're going to four lanes, you're really just adding 12 feet on each side," Kuhl said. "We'll be able to do that without infringing on any businesses or homes or taking any buildings."  

Kuhl said if anything, when the project is finished the new face lift should actually help business in that area.

"I think the better access with all of the pedestrian traffic and all of the apartments, it would make it more attractive for businesses," Kuhl said.

There are two parts to the project. The other half will be re-constructing the intersection of Klondike and Lindberg Road.

"Right now it's a four-way stop," Kuhl said. "We want to look at it and see if it should be a signal, a roundabout or what's the best treatment at that intersection."

Right now the project is only in the planning and design stage.

The total cost for the two projects combined is nearly $9 million. Kuhl said 80 percent of the project will be federally funded.

Once planning and designs are complete, construction for the project would begin sometime in 2016.