How are interchange locations decided?
Interchange locations are determined in part by State and Federal design standards and by local traffic patterns. In order for a new bypass facility to meet limited-access facility standards (freeway standards), interchanges should not be spaced closer than one mile in urban settings such as the US 31 Kokomo Corridor Project area. A new bypass facility also has to be conducive to the existing State highway system, thus not disrupting traffic on highways such as SR 26, SR 22, and US 35. A third important factor considered is local traffic patterns and access back to existing US 31 and its retail centers and employers. Consideration is also given to social and environmental factors such as bus routes, emergency service, and natural resources at particular locations.
