116th and Keystone intersection to close as early as March 3
For Current in Carmel


Beginning on or after March 3rd, construction crews will close 116th Street at Keystone Parkway for approximately 15 days, weather permitting. The closure will allow crews to finish removing the temporary pavement used to maintain four lanes of Keystone traffic throughout 116th Street’s construction. Cross traffic at 116th Street will be closed and motorists are asked to follow posted detour routes for this short period (please note that utility work on Westfield Boulevard will stop during this period allowing Range Line Road/Westfield Boulevard to be included in these detour routes). Four lanes of traffic will be maintained on Keystone Parkway under the 116th Street bridge during the closure period.


Final tie-ins to the bridge structure along with final construction of the roundabout will be completed prior to opening the 116th Street bridge to cross-street traffic.


Additionally, in preparation for construction at the Carmel Drive intersection, construction crews will be working during the weekend to install a large box culvert under Keystone Parkway just north of Carmel Drive. During the box culvert installation, one lane of traffic in each direction will be maintained at all times with varying traffic patterns. During the weekends, traffic will use a temporary cross-over to avoid the construction area.


Motorists are asked to use extreme caution in this area for their safety and the safety of construction workers. A 40 mile-per-hour speed limit is in effect and will be enforced in this construction zone along with the entire Keystone Parkway corridor from 96th Street to US-31.


The 116th Street interchange is part of the second phase of a three-year project to lower the grade of Keystone Parkway under six major interchanges along the five-mile stretch. When completed, the north-south traffic on Keystone Parkway will be free-flowing with no traffic lights between 96th Street and 146th Street, and tear-drop shaped roundabout interchanges will manage the east-west traffic flow.

For more information on the project log on to www.CarmelLink.org. A detour map is shown below.

Carmel school officials, police chief discuss hazing investigation
By Kevin Kane
Current in Carmel


Carmel Clay Schools Superintendent Jeff Swensson, Carmel High School Principal John Williams and Carmel Police Chief Michael Fogarty addressed the media at 10 a.m. on Feb. 24. to discuss the ongoing investigation regarding three seniors on the school's basketball team and their alleged involvement in a hazing incident. However no new information came from the news conference.


Swensson and Williams read from respective prepared statements detailing the school's extensive investigation process and commitment to student safety. The three fielded a few questions afterwards, but answered most by stating that student privacy laws and the ongoing investigation prevented them from disclosing any information.

While the events in question took place on Jan. 22, Swensson said the school district wasn't aware of it until Feb. 16. At that time, he said CCS began sharing information with the police and conducting its own investigation. As for the current status of the students under investigation, Swensson would not disclose whether or not the students are currently enrolled, suspended or on the basketball team's roster.


“We really can't comment on that,” Swensson said of their status in the school.


Media members asked for the school officials and police chief to confirm or deny various pieces of information that have surfaced from sources. Swensson said that he couldn't comment on any specifics but added that much of the information being circulated isn't correct.


“The rumor mill has been very busy, and much of it completely inaccurate,” he said.


Williams said the school will continue to communicate details of the situation as it is allowed to do so. As for the investigation itself, Fogarty said he couldn't speculate on a timeline, but said it will likely take at least a couple weeks to conclude. The actions taken after the investigation, he said, could vary as well.

“I think that there are potential charges that could be filed,” Fogarty said. “There may be other charges as well, or there may be none.”

Carmel still seeking 96th and Keystone funding
By Kevin Kane
Current in Carmel


In September, the City of Carmel submitted a 25-page application to the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) seeking a $78.3 million TIGER grant, which is part of the stimulus act. The money was intended to fund construction of a two-level roundabout at the intersection of 96th Street and Keystone Parkway, but after not receiving the grant, Carmel is left searching for other options to fund the project.


Mayor Jim Brainard said prior to the Feb. 17 announcement of grant recipients that, while he is usually optimistic about Carmel’s chances for grants, in this case he was not. The TIGER grant program had $1.5 billion to award and 1,400 applicants seeking about 40 times that amount. Brainard said the sheer volume of requests made it unlikely Carmel would be one of the 51 applications accepted.


“We knew it would be a long shot,” he said. “We weren't counting on getting it but we still tried.”


Brainard said the city has funding available to add additional lanes at the intersection but said that, while it will require additional funds, the creation of a roundabout would be a better solution. He said Carmel will look at other federal grants to fund the roundabout, including additional TIGER dollars that are expected to be available in the future. The funding of other elements of the Keystone project, Brainard stressed, are not affected by the absence of TIGER funding. The money only would have been used for the 96th and Keystone intersection. While it is still unclear where funding for this portion will come from, Brainard said it should only be a matter or time before this is known.


“We have a good project and we're confident it will get funded,” he said.

CHS Dance Marathon celebrates another milestone
For Current in Carmel


Approximately 1,100 students participated in the fifth annual Carmel High School Dance Marathon on Saturday, February 20, and celebrated a record $174,545.72 contribution for the Ryan White Infectious Disease Center at Riley Hospital for Children. The event is the nation’s largest high school dance marathon according to Children’s Miracle Network.
 

Nearly one-quarter of the student body participated, and one dozen Riley patients and families shared their stories of appreciation for the hospital. The planning committee for the event is comprised of two staff advisors and 50 students. Last year Carmel High School Dance Marathon raised nearly $160,000 ($35,000 in 2006; $58,000 in 2007; $129,000 in 2008; $159,000 in 2009). 
 

“The students tirelessly devote themselves to raise funds for the Ryan White Infectious Disease Center at Riley, the entity that provides children with HIV and other life-threatening infections an opportunity to find care,” explained Dr. Martin Kleiman, Director of the Ryan White Infectious Disease Center and Endowed Chair at Riley Hospital for Children.
 

Twenty-six Indiana universities and high schools are lacing up their dancing shoes during the year to raise money for Riley Hospital. Last year, schools combined to raise $1.7 million.