Cable barrier rails to be installed along Indiana's I-74

Officials from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) encouraged drivers on Oct. 2 to be cautious when traveling between St. Paul and Greensburg on Interstate I-74 as crews will be installing cable barrier rails on the roadways and medians.

The crews, who are from the George B. Stone Company based in Sharpsburg, Ky., will use skid steers, backhoes, and other equipment to accomplish the task. Working between US Highway 421 and the Shelby-Decatur County line starting Oct. 5, the crews will pour concrete for the line hole posts and end anchors foundations.

In November, they then resume their work over the 9-mile portion of the road, where they will set up a pre-stressed cable according to standard tensions. 

The barriers are meant to prevent vehicles from crossing the divided highway’s median area. Experts estimate that this will reduce severe-outcome wrecks by approximately half, removing almost two thirds of the road’s fatalities.

INDOT’s goal is to prioritize interstate highway locations where there is a heavy traffic volume and a history of crashes. They also take into account the road geometry, speed, and median width of a given area in order to determine which areas need the most attention.