Employing First-of-Its-Kind Performance-Based Practical Design to Deliver Value to a Historic Community

Located on the Ohio River in southeastern Indiana, Madison is home to a National Historic Landmark District that is the largest of its kind in the country. The community is also a conduit for commerce, as goods are transported by truck and trailer to and from Indiana and Kentucky via the adjoining Milton-Madison Bridge. Long-standing mobility and safety issues associated with the roadway approach network created concerns for the Madison community, specifically the neighboring residential neighborhoods.

As lead designer on the project, CMT employed – for the first time in Indiana – a performance-based practical design process to develop a solution that not only addressed restricted vehicular movements, but also accounted for the community’s historic-preservation and environmental priorities.

Highlights of CMT’s work included:

• Use of a first-of-its-kind in Indiana “performance-based” design process to evaluate needed improvements
• An “outcomes-based” – rather than standards-based – approach involving a high level of community engagement that garnered significant support from residents, who took great pride in protecting the historic character of their community
• Realignment of US 421, which improved the poor geometry and existing roadway alignment to connect the city of Madison to the Milton-Madison Bridge
• A pedestrian bridge connecting Madison to the existing pedestrian facilities on the Milton-Madison Bridge, which enabled travel into Kentucky and provided access to the waterfront of the Ohio River

Client and community benefits of CMT’s work included:

• Community investment in – and enthusiasm for – the final project outcomes
• Enhanced safety and mobility for vehicular and other multi-modal traffic throughout the corridor
• Enhanced economic-development opportunities through alleviated congestion
• Minimized impact of new infrastructure on the community’s historic district
• The usage of salvaged native limestone for construction along the slopes of the city’s historic Hillside Inn, with the outcome of reduced environmental impact and preservation of the area’s historic nature and natural character
• Reduced environmental impact of truck traffic