$8.7M awarded for roundabout at Hazel Dell Parkway, 146th St.

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Mental Health is a Workforce Challenge and Opportunity

Mike Thibideau President & CEO, Invest Hamilton County

Infrastructure

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee has awarded $8.7 million to Hamilton County to transform the 146th and Hazel Dell Parkway intersection into a roundabout interchange. Construction could start as early as 2026.

“This is one of the highest crash locations in the county,” Hamilton County Highway Director Brad Davis stated. “There were 94 reported crashes at this intersection from 2015 to 2019 — most of them rear-end accidents. We hope that turning the intersection into a roundabout will slow traffic and help alleviate some of the danger.”

Project engineers believe the gradeseparated roundabout interchange will improve safety by eliminating angle crashes and reducing crash severity. The pedestrian crossings will only occur through

NOBLESVILLE & NORTH

Project: Pleasant Street

Location: 1.1 miles west of River Road to 10th Street and includes work by Hamilton County for a bridge to be built over the White River.

Expected completion: End of 2024

Project: Pleasant Street

A possible configuration for the roundabout at 146th Street and Hazel Dell Parkway. (Rendering courtesy of Hamilton County) ongoing

Hazel Dell Parkway and the ramps to 146th Street, which have lower speeds than 146th Street.

The Indianapolis MPO is comprised of the cities, counties and towns in central Indiana. The MPO award was based on a competitive process that identified the significant improvements to congestion along with safety improvements for pedestrians, motorists and bicyclists as the justification for the award.

Project: Stony Creek pedestrian trail

Construction Construction

Location: Various locations; Eighth Street and Pleasant Street will be closed after Memorial Day (motorists are advised to use detour routes or visit www.reimaginepleasantst.com for more information)

Expected completion: Work will be

Location: Under Ind. 37

Expected completion: Construction will continue this year with the trail expected to open by early summer.

Project: Nickel Plate Trail

Location: The city of Noblesville will construct its portion of the Nickel Plate Trail from 146th Street to Pleasant Street. Trail will be 12 feet wide and include the rehabilitation of two existing railroad bridges and conversion to pedestrian facilities

Expected completion: By Thanksgiving

According to the Brookings Institute, a 2016 survey of individuals aged 25-54 who were not in the labor force showed that nearly half of men and 54% of women reported taking pain medications daily and, “one estimate suggests the opioid epidemic accounts for 43% of the decline in men’s labor force participation rate between 1999 and 2015 and 25% of the decline for women.”

This is data highlighting the impact of just one struggle (substance use) and one drug category (opioids) on our labor force. When we extrapolate that out amongst all the mental health challenges existing in our community the impact on work is tremendous. The pandemic has broken down walls of stigma, increased awareness of resources and mobilized philanthropic and civic-led action on mental health, but it has also driven up demand from our residents… and the capacity of our mental health ecosystem does not have the workers to meet it. This misalignment has no short-term, turnkey solution… but that does not mean we roll over.

Our community is filled with visionary leaders who have embraced mental health, and real actions that can be taken to make our lives better as residents and/or workers. Our mayors, first responders, County Commissioners, and County Council members are building ecosystems that care, and doing their best to identify visionary solutions that will forever impact how our community compassionately cares for those with the hardest struggles.

At Invest we’re working with community partners like our Chambers of Commerce, Community Foundation, and elected officials to deliver resources, facilitate collaboration, and organize long-term projects and partnerships to address these challenges.

While society and our elected officials think big… I think it is on all of us to think about our own spheres of influence. When was the last time our workplace explored a secondchance policy to hire justice involved individuals? Do we have evidence-based second chance systems for directing individuals to treatment for addiction after a failed drug test or request for help? How accessible is our EAP program… and does it provide free therapy/counseling sessions?

We can all make choices today that have a snowball effect… if you don’t know where to start Invest Hamilton County and our network of partners are here to help.

To learn more about the work of Invest Hamilton County, visit our website at www.investhamiltoncounty.com.

Mental Heath First Aid Training

Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. This training gives you the skills you need to provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to appropriate care.

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