Several residents attended a public open house Wednesday at Fusion 54 to learn more about the Crawfordsville Crossing: Railway Crossing Elimination Project.
The open house marks the third in a series of public engagement opportunities focused on the future of the Market Street/State Road 32/State Road 47/US 136 and CSX Transportation railroad crossing. Input gathered during planning process will shape the project’s design and development.
In late 2024, the city was awarded $1.12 million from the Federal Railroad Administration under its Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program to support planning and development of a grade separation project at this critical downtown intersection. The project aims to address long-standing challenges related to traffic congestion, safety concerns and emergency response delays caused by the existing at-grade crossing.
The city has partnered with HWC Engineering in its planning and design efforts.
At the most recent open house, attendees had the opportunity to learn more about the project’s progress and next steps from HWC personnel. The project team answered questions, gathered additional feedback and discussed how community input continues to shape the planning process.
The event follows earlier outreach efforts, including two prior public open houses conducted in April and June as well as meetings with adjacent property owners. An environmental study is currently ongoing.
The city hopes to learn this fall if its proposal will advance with a multi-million dollar grant award for final design, right-of-way acquisition and construction. If selected, the project will move into the preliminary engineering and environmental documentation phase with an anticipated public hearing conducted in February 2027. By the fall of 2027, the project is anticipated to be in the final design and property purchase phase. Construction, which could take 18 to 24 months, could begin as early as 2029.
The total project costs are estimated at $44.5 million.
If the project is selected, 80% of the costs are expected to come from the FRA and the remaining 20% from local sources. The city is exploring options for partners to assist in the local match.
Additional information about the project will continue to be updated on the city’s website at CrawfordsvilleCrossing.com. Public comment is welcome.
