Johnson County, Franklin and Whiteland Collaborate on Roundabout to Boost Local Economic Growth
One of Johnson County’s latest infrastructure projects is construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Paul Hand Boulevard and Graham Road between Whiteland and Franklin. This project connects Whiteland, Franklin, and the county governments in a collaborative effort to improve traffic flow and drive economic growth in the area.
With funding coming from all three governments, the project aims to support local businesses and accommodate increasing development demands in higher-density areas.
“The roundabout project between Whiteland, Johnson County and Franklin represents collaboration between our community and county entities to further growth across the county,” said Amanda Rubadue, Aspire’s Vice President of Economic Development.
“This is beneficial for our community in that our communities are working together to provide investment in infrastructure and accommodations for better traffic flow.”
She also mentioned the advantages for businesses and residents.
“It's beneficial for our Aspire members and our business community in that inter-community collaboration helps get these projects done more efficiently. Businesses and residents in the area are also able to take advantage of increased infrastructure and better traffic flow in areas experiencing increased development.”
Franklin Mayor Steve Barnett is embracing the partnership between his city and his fellow Johnson County community leaders. Mayor Barnett described the project as a collaborative effort initiated by the three entities to complete the local trucking route.
“We recognized a shared need at the intersection where our boundaries meet. Together, we agreed that partnering would enhance our community's overall well-being,” he said.
Whiteland also looked forward to the collaboration as an opportunity to further develop their infrastructure and transportation alongside Franklin’s.
“Mayor Barnett reached out to the Town and Johnson County representatives to not only share their future road thoroughfare plans but to also see our vision on how we plan to move traffic through and around our communities,” said Carmen Young, Director of Administration for the Town of Whiteland.
“Franklin has been installing at least one roundabout per year for the past few years and as they worked north towards their city limits.”
While the project faced initial delays due to utility relocations, it is on track for completion by Thanksgiving.
“The funding breakdown is as follows: Franklin contributed $750,000, Whiteland also contributed $750,000, and Johnson County invested $675,000,” Mayor Barnett said.
Mayor Barnett said that the project’s impact has already begun to take shape, with new businesses like Malarkey committing to a $200 million investment in the area, which will bring approximately 200 new jobs to the area off of Paul Hand east of the roundabout.
Mayor Barnett expressed satisfaction with the cooperation among Franklin, Whiteland, and Johnson County.
“Our collaboration has been exceptionally smooth. We maintain a strong relationship and meet monthly to discuss initiatives that support our growing economy.”
This partnership has strengthened significantly, providing a model for future inter-community projects that prioritize efficient growth and infrastructure.
“The amount of traffic that currently uses Graham Rd to navigate between Whiteland and Franklin has increased in the past 5 years and will only continue to increase as development occurs,” Young added.
“Once this roundabout is completed, vehicles will be able to travel from Whiteland to Franklin without stopping. Roundabouts, whether you like them or not, help mitigate traffic congestion.”
As the roundabout nears completion, Young, Rubadue and Barnett all believe it will benefit local businesses, residents, and new site developers alike, showing the importance of community cooperation in driving economic development across Johnson County.
“The collaboration between all of the entities has gone well and I believe collaboration on future roadway projects only makes sense,” said Young.
Luke Mastin, Johnson County Highway Director said in the Daily Journal that this collaboration is an unusual scenario.
“We all have very good working relationships,” said Mastin. “It is very nice to have entities we share borders with see the big picture and see the mutual benefit in projects such as this. I don’t know if that is the case in every county.”