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A popular farm market that has operated in the same Hamilton County location since 1968 will be staying put after the Indiana Department of Transportation reversed its decision to use eminent domain to seize and raze the building as part of its U.S. 31 Limited Access Project north of Indianapolis.
Wilson Farm Market was slated to be demolished sometime around December 2024, but the state transportation authority said Tuesday that public response prompted it to redesign its cul-de-sac plan for the site and withdraw its attempt to acquire the property, which is at 256th Street and U.S. 31 in Arcadia.
INDOT said the new design will “avoid impacts to the property while still delivering improved safety and mobility along U.S. 31 in Hamilton County.”
Store owner Scott Wilson said the cul-de-sac will be positioned differently to avoid the need to level his building. Wilson called the decision a partial win, but said his fight was about more than just his business or the building.
Wilson went live on Facebook for about three minutes Tuesday to tell his customers the business is staying put thanks to the feedback many of them contributed. He encouraged his customers and those listening to email INDOT, elected officials, the school board and local public safety agencies to push to keep an exchange at the intersection. The live video garnered more than 1,200 comments and 4,000 likes showing their support.
“Now the shackles are off,” Wilson said in the Facebook Live. “We’re not going anywhere, and I’m going to keep raising all kinds of hell.”
Now that he doesn’t have to worry about relocating his business, Wilson said he can fully focus on lobbying for a full highway exchange that allows traffic on 256th Street to cross U.S. 31. The INDOT project calls for cul-de-sacs on each side of U.S. 31 where vehicles can turn around, but doesn’t allow for through traffic.
Wilson said a full interchange is needed public safety. He previously told IIB that a significant portion of people in the area will be underserved when it comes to public safety.
The Wilson family and other community members have expressed concerns online and in public meetings about how the completed project could delay emergency response times when roads are dead-ended and traffic is funneled.
“It’s really going to strangle response times,” he said. “There’s no solution to traveling extra miles”
INDOT said previously it has worked to reduce impacts on response times with local public safety agencies, and their feedback was used when designing the project. Derek Arrowood, superintendent of the Hamilton Heights School Corp., also previously said the school district has no concerns regarding slowed emergency response times.
INDOT said in a previous statement that the U.S. 31 Limited Access Project strives to reduce wrecks along the corridor, which was shown to be needed after a 2018-2020 traffic study. The agency said the data showed about 11 crashes per mile per year.
The project stretches from State Road 38 to 286th Street, spanning about 7.5 miles. Two interchanges are currently under construction, at 236th and 276th Streets. Other work on overpasses and cul-de-sacs will begin in the latter part of 2024, INDOT said in the statement.
Specifically for the 236th Street interchange, INDOT reported eminent domain caused 20 houses and one commercial property to be vacated. In total, the project will affect 38 parcels, of which 14 went through condemnation, which is the process when an agreement is not found and usually heads to court.
In a statement, INDOT said it has frequently communicated with Wilson throughout the process and asked him for feedback on the revised design. When construction begins in the area, it said the safety and mobility improvements made to the road in the area will avoid the farm market.
Wilson disagreed that INDOT has adequately communicated with him. He said he initially found out his property was being seized through a public meeting and was not given an avenue to give direct feedback. Additionally, he said he was never given an appraisal or offer during the now-moot eminent domain process.
Moving forward, Wilson said the outpouring of support for his business has been overwhelming, and his phone has been blowing up since his video message Tuesday. He said he hopes to channel that support toward overturning the decision to use cul-de-sacs at the interchange.
“Plans changed as a result of community input,” he said. “Locals can go toe-to-toe.”
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The 236th street interchange sense because it directly links Sheridan and Cicero. I find it interesting that the 276th street exchange benefits coincidentally the new National Guard Armory location and Beck’s Seeds. I believe money talks.
I am very happy that Wilson’s is staying. We utilize the market frequently and love to support local small businesses. At the same time the intersection at 256th Street does need addressed. Our daughter and grandsons use it daily at rush hour, and I always have that fear that they will be involved in an accident there.
INDOT does some weird things, especially as it relates to U.S. 31.
Right now they are preparing to eviscerate U.S. 31 from the North side of Franklin to the south side.
It could potentially devastate the primary business district along this route.
Interchange, not exchange.
As a Westfield resident that visits Wilson’s almost every week, I am delighted that they are staying at the location. I also agree that the 256th Street intersection is a dangerous place to cross US 31; I have seen many less skilled drivers create risk to themselves and others trying to navigate it. As someone who also enjoys back road routes when I travel, a cul de sac at 256th and US 31 will not be a problem. At most it will add a couple minutes to my commute from my house to Wilson’s. With full interchanges at both 236th Street and 276th Street, people will quickly figure out new routes to the market. What INDOT should do to accommodate Wilson’s is put up directional signage on US 31 and subsidize Wilson’s to put up directional signage on the back road streets to help people find their way to the market.
So now government transportation agency should subsidize a private business? We motorists who pay fuel taxes already do that by providing roads that make the business possible in the first place.
I think Wilson is much more qualified to design the highway than Indot. He does own a store. SMH
INDOT isn’t endowed with a monopoly on common sense…indeed, sometimes one wonders if they have any at all.
It’s really pretty simple…there should be a convenient way to buy great fried chicken and pretzel bread from Wilson’s without risking our lives. My message to INDOT – “Git ‘er done!”
Jay J, am trying to get a handle on what a cut-de-sac at 256th/Wilson’s looks like.
Thanx for providing me with a picture to come.