Home Maplecrest Road Extension

Highway Department

Contact Info

Citizens Square, Suite 280
200 East Berry Street
Fort Wayne, IN  46802

(260) 449-7369 Phone
(260) 449-7594 Fax

Hours:
M-F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

North Maintenance Facility
2234 Carroll Road
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46818
M-F 7:00 am - 3:30 pm
(260) 449-4781 (phone)
(260) 449-4786 (fax)

South Maintenance Facility
8317 E. Tillman Road
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46816
M-F 7:00 am - 3:30 pm
(260) 449-4791(phone)
(260) 449-4793 (fax)

Director
Bill Hartman

General Highway Maintenance
Randy Knach - North Maintenance
Ben Ridenour - South Maintenance

Traffic Engineer
Mike Eckert

County Engineer
Mike Thornson

Permits
Lesli Kerfoot

Construction Manager
Dan Allen

Road Conversions
Joel Hoffman

Drainage
Jeff Sorg

Maplecrest Road Extension PDF Print E-mail
Preliminary Project Information

The proposed 1.25-mile extension of Maplecrest Road on the east side of Fort Wayne has been part of the local transportation plan for over 30 years.  A preliminary engineering report was prepared for the project in 1996, and the Allen County Commissioners hired a consulting engineer in 2001 to prepare an Environmental Assessment.  In 2002, a inter-local agreement was executed between Fort Wayne, New Haven and the County to share the cost of the project.  The Commissioners hired a consulting engineer to provide professional design services for Maplecrest Road in anticipation of utilizing Federal Highway Administration funding for the project.  The project is currently in the engineering design stage, and preliminary plans are now available.

The proposed project begins at the intersection of Adams Center Road with New Haven Avenue (SR930) and extends in a straight line north to the intersection of Maplecrest Road with Lake Avenue.  The preliminary engineering study idenified this corridor as the most desirable.  The project has been supported by local and federal planning and transportation officals.

The Maumee River presents a significant obstacle to north-south traffic on the east side of Fort Wayne.  Additionally, several railroad tracks carrying as many as 50 trains per day, as well as switching movements, parallel the south side of the river.  Economic activity in this urbanized area is hampered by the lack of direct access and delays caused by the railroads and lack of roadway connectivity.  Local planners estimate as many as 8,000 vehicles per day will be attracted to the new roadway from nearby existing roads under existing conditions.  This will reduce the number of vehicles using the other at-grade crossings by 28%, a significant safety consideration.  Future traffic volumes are predicted to be as great as 17,000 vehicles per day.

The Maplecrest Road extension is being designed for a 45 mph design speed, and the project includes improvements to the intersections with Adams Center Road/SR 930 at the south terminus, and Maplecrest Road/Lake Avenue at the north terminus.  The proposed design of these intersections includes added turn lanes and traffic signals.  An elevated access roadway will be provided to Nelson Road, and an at-grade intersection will be provided at Parrot Road to serve the local businesses and residents of the River Haven area.  Old Maumee Road, South River Road, and Orange Drive will be terminated on either side of the new roadway, and at least one of the at-grade railroad crossings on Estella Avenue will be removed.

The project will ultimately provide a 4-lane roadway with no median.  The roadway will be bordered by curbs and gutters with a 10-ft-wide sidewalk provided on the east side of the roadway.  The walk will be separated from the back of the curb by a grass strip 5 feet wide, with the exception of the bridges where a concrete rail will separate pedestrians from vehicular traffic.  The sidewalk will be connected to the Rivergreenway Trail system.  The typical right-of-way width required is approximately 170 feet.  A total of approximately 31 acres of land may be required.  It is not yet certain how many residential or commercial relocations may be required for the proposed Maplecrest Road extension.  Consideration has been given to using reinforced earth walls in some areas to reduce the right-of-way impacts in various locations.

The project includes bridges over several sets of railroad tracks as well as the Maumee River.  The river crossing structure will span the Rivergreenway Trail north of the flood control channel.  South River Road would be closed at the new roadway.  The southern railroad bridge will be approximately 100 feet  long, while the bridge over Nelson Road and the northern set of railroad tracks will be approximately 1,100 feet long and provide a minimum of 2 feet of clearence above  the 100-year flood elevation.  Internal access will be maintained in the City of Fort Wayne sediment basin areas north of the river with a single-span bridge  over the treatment plant access road.

Construction may be completed in multiple stages, depending on the availability of funding and the maintenance of traffic through the area.  Construction of the 4-lane facility is estimated to cost approximately $30 million, with the local match being 20% or $6 million.

Maplecrest Road Extension