Master Plan Costs Up 10% In Two Months

(posted Oct 11)

Speedway Redevelopment Commission President Scott Harris told members of the Indiana Motorsports Association that the projected costs to realign roads in Speedway have increased to $71 million. The cost was initially estimated at $63 million when the plan was introduced in July. Harris explained the additional costs were due to aspects of utility relocation could increase with right-of-ways determination.

Harris explained the bold plan would require relocating 16th Street to the south and vacating Georgetown Road and Grande Avenue.

Harris was unabashed to say "We have taken lots of liberty with people's property."

He expected that moving dirt for the start of relocating 16th Street could start next year, and the closing of Georgetown Road around 2010. The plan also means moving Polco Street to better fit with the entrance of turn one and turn two. Recently, the town council was cautious in its wording to approve a request by Praxair to move its fence line closer to Polco as to avoid a potential lawsuit when the road is moved. The council did not want to give the impression that the road would remain in its current location.

Tenth Street will be moved northward from Polco to Main Street to better serve Allison Transmission. The company's new owners still remain committed to start building a central utilities complex in the Gilman Road area by January 2008.

Harris said that the IMS still has not submitted a plan of what it will do with the tunnels and entrances on Georgetown Road if the road is vacated.

The SRC has proposed removing the utilities poles that parallel the IMS stands on Georgetown Road as a safety factor to eliminate the possibility of electrocution from the fence or stands. According to Crystal Livers-Pool of IPL, the utility relocation project is being done in phases. "IPL is in the process of finalizing cost estimated based on the project work. Cost would be paid by the customer, i.e the Speedway Redevelopment commission or business and the cost projections would need to be released to you by that customer. "

Once Georgetown Road is vacated, the plan would turn the road into a public linear park. Harris also noted that IMA members will probably not be holding meetings at the Brickyard Crossing by 2010. He said he is not sure if a mini-convention center will remain on the drawing table.