TERRE HAUTE —
A $1.1 million road project to improve about 5,000 feet of Wabash Avenue is moving faster than anticipated, largely because steel railroad tracks, expected to have been left behind from a former interurban passenger line, are gone.
In April and July 2011, ground penetrating radar surveys were conducted on Wabash Avenue to locate potential rails in the roadbed between 13th Street and 23rd Street. Two pairs of anomalies, or differences in density of the soil, were recorded, indicating a probable intact subsurface rail system.
Testing was extended to 24th Street, but no anomalies were found.
The anomalies indicate a hard surface, unlike the soil around it.
Turns out, the rails had been replaced with granite, a very hard stone, which is what the ground penetrating radar was reflecting.
“Why would you stick pieces of granite in the slot where the tracks used to go? That was a surprise to us. We took the rails for granite,” joked City Engineer Chuck Ennis. He said he assumed the stone was a steel track.
Metal detectors did find metal, but after digging, it turned out to be metal angle brackets. The brackets held wooden blocks, instead of longer wooden ties, in which spikes were driven to hold down the rail track. The construction was unlike any usually found for a railroad, Ennis said.
“A lot of the interurban rail lines were shoestring operations, pieced together. They were looking for ways to cut corners to make money,” Ennis said.
The city, Ennis said, had hoped to gain some salvage income from the rails. However, the flip side is the project is moving much faster. “In two weeks, it is already at 19th Street,” Ennis said.
“We were going to have to replace the road anyway, because it was the rail bed that was failing and the rotting blocks of wood, which still caused a wash-board effect” on the road’s surface, Ennis said.
The project has had one other unexpected hurdle — more rock fill required for the road base.
“We took core samples of the pavement in several sections” prior to the start of the project, Ennis said. “The bottom of the excavation is not very consistent, so there were some real low spots where we had to dig out more than anticipated. We are using more fill material than what we had originally anticipated.”
Most of Wabash Avenue’s base was replaced or improved by the state when former U.S. 40 was converted from a two-lane road and widened to a four-lane road more than a half century ago, Ennis said. The road’s base has since been improved at other areas, largely for improved intersections such as at 25th Street.
Ennis said his father, Bill, a former Terre Haute city councilman, also told him about the city removing railroad tracks from Wabash Avenue from Third Street to Seventh Street in the late 1960s. Former Mayor Leland Larrison actually had a chunk of rail on his desk for a short time, Ennis said.
Reporter Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.
Local & Bistate
Related Photos
-
Moving along: A bulldozer sits on the new roadbed of Wabash Avenue near 17th Street on Wednesday morning. (Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis)
-
Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Through the years: A drop of about a foot shows the previous pavings of Wabash Avenue at 14th street. The compacted white rock forms the new roadbed to the right.
Discussion
Wabash Cannonball: Project to repair central artery through city moving quickly
- Local & Bistate
-
-
UPDATE 3: I-5 bridge collapses in Northwest Washington; people in water
An Interstate 5 bridge over a river north of Seattle collapsed Thursday evening, dumping vehicles and people into the water, the Washington State Patrol said.
-
UPDATE: I-70 lanes in Putnam County now open
The west-bound lanes of Interstate 70 re-opened Thursday evening after being temporarily closed due to a crash near the Greencastle/Cloverdale exit.
-
22-hospital St. Vincent Health cutting jobs
INDIANAPOLIS — One of Indiana’s largest health systems says it’s cutting an undisclosed number of jobs by June 30 because of increasing economic and competitive pressure on the health care industry.
-
Update: Cleanup from overturned truck in Greene County continues
Fuel spillage from the dump truck hauling gravel that overturned this morning in Greene County at Indiana 54 and County Road 725 East near Ridgeport continues to restrict traffic to one lane.
-
17-pound bone found during Vigo flood cleanup
TERRE HAUTE — Crews cleaning up from Wabash River flooding in Vigo County came across a 17-pound bone that they believe might have come from an ancient mastodon.
-
Duke Energy gives $10K to Wabash Valley Red Cross for Vigo flood relief
Duke Energy is giving $10,000 to the Wabash Valley Red Cross chapter for flood relief from this spring’s heavy rains.
-
I-70 Frye Road overpass contract awarded; construction to begin May 28
The Indiana Department of Transportation has announced the Interstate-70 Frye Road overpass contract was awarded to Halverson Construction Co. Inc. from Springfield, Ill., for $317,166.
-
Banks of the Wabash Festival is more than just yearly entertainment
Pioneers think counterintuitively. Where others see widespread apathy, they focus on the possibility for progress. In a way, the 2013 Year of the River celebration began in the 1970s.
-
Planning session aims to better Terre Haute
It’s not yet clear what will come of it, but dozens of community leaders spent the whole day Wednesday trying to develop a plan – or collection of plans – to make Terre Haute “a better community.”
-
Education funding boost won’t benefit all schools
In the budget bill passed by the General Assembly last month, there is more money allocated for K-12 education over the next two years, but that doesn’t mean every school will get more dollars.
- Day of Action job options open
-
Park Board renames land around Memorial Stadium
Land surrounding Indiana State University’s Memorial Stadium on Terre Haute’s east side has been designated as Veterans Memorial Park, following a unanimous vote Wednesday from the Terre Haute Park Board.
-
Deputy suffers minor injury during incident
A Vigo County Sheriff’s deputy received a minor injury to his hand Tuesday night while subduing a drunken driving suspect who fled behind a North Terre Haute business.
-
Man accused of child neglect gets new trial date
An Oct. 15 trial date has been set for a Terre Haute man arrested in November for child neglect after he and his wife allegedly tied up and confined their adopted children in the family home.
-
Police find meth labs, arrest Pierson Township man
Police uncovered two active methamphetamine labs in southeastern Vigo County on Monday, leading to the arrest of a Pierson Township man.
-
New date set for attempted murder trial
A new trial date has been set for a Terre Haute woman charged with attempted murder.
-
Illinois Senate approves sex education bill
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A proposal that revamps sex education in Illinois public schools to include information about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases has cleared the state Senate.
-
Gregg pondering 2nd run for Indiana governor
INDIANAPOLIS — Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Gregg is pondering another run at the state's top job, but has yet to make a decision.
-
Illinois senator apologizes for Nazi remark
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Sen. Donne Trotter has apologized for remarks that compared a member of Gov. Pat Quinn’s cabinet to a Nazi.
-
Vigo County Jail Log: May 22, 2013
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement on Tuesday and Wednesday, based on jail records.
-
Rose-Hulman professor researching ways to make homes storm safe
Tornadoes produce greater uplift forces than hurricanes, which can flatten homes such as in Moore Okla., south of Oklahoma City.
-
Group wants to connect downtown Terre Haute with the Wabash River
Fairbanks Park is underutilized.
The Wabash River is peaceful and inviting, but there is some concern about its cleanliness as well as pollution levels. Also, people can’t get on the river unless they have a boat. -
New conservancy district appoints first directors
Members of the first board of directors of a new lake conservancy district were appointed Tuesday by the Vigo County Board of Commissioners.
-
Vigo law enforcement signs Triad charter to protect seniors
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller joined Vigo County law enforcement and community activists Tuesday to sign the county’s first Triad charter, becoming the 22nd Triad in Indiana.
-
Wabash Valley Red Cross wraps up Save the Day Campaign
The American Red Cross Wabash Valley Chapter’s 2013 annual meeting concluded the 17th annual Save the Day Campaign, and the results lifted the spirits of all who were involved.
-
Some Vigo roads washed out
Spring storms resulted in $250,000 in damages to roads in southern Vigo County, with costs including sand and labor to save homes near river bottoms, said county highway Assistant Superintendent Dan Bennett.
-
County Council votes $78K toward rail spur
County officials voted Tuesday night to make good on a 2011 promise to help improve a railroad spur just north of Terre Haute for Menard Inc.
-
Spring flooding damages future CSO holding lagoon
Flood waters from the Wabash River have done costly damage to one of the city-owned “lagoons” on former International Paper property.
-
Vigo tops state average for IREAD-3 scores
The Vigo County School Corp. exceeded the state average in the percentage of students passing the state’s mandatory Grade 3 reading test, IREAD-3.
-
Storms cause minor damage in Valley
Tuesday morning storms in the Wabash Valley caused thousands of Duke Energy customers to lose power.
- More Local & Bistate Headlines
-
Johnson: Don't Blame Islam or UK Policy
Raw: Scuffles in London After Hacking Death
Chain-Reaction School Bus Crash Injures About 50
Raw: 80-Year-Old Climbs Mount Everest
Raw: Aftermath of Deadly Attack in London
Raw: Heckler Interrupts Obama on Guantanamo
Obama Offers Drone Strike Defense
Okla. Teens Get Video of Deadly Tornado Overhead
Wash. State Man Arrested Following Ricin Scare
Texas Students Coach Teachers on Fitness
Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam
Oklahoma Family Reflects on Lost Son
New Forecasting Tool Eyed for Hurricane Season
Meet MJ, the Bike Riding Tabby Cat
A Slice of Apple History Up for Grabs
Boy Scouts Mom Supports Gay Inclusiveness
Man Shot While Questioned in Boston Probe
Today in History May 23
Raw: Kevin Durant Tours Moore After $1M Pledge
Closer Look at Okla. School Where Children Died
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever
Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage
Trout's cycle a boost for Angels
Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado
Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece
NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery
Shakira's Shocking Talent
Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air
GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape
Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public
Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls
Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place
Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill
DWTS Crowns a Winner
Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff
Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House
Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor
Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up
VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal
The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
