Many residents in the Madison community have expressed concerns over the lack of safety on the traffic-heavy Clifty Drive (State Road 62) near Madison Consolidated High School. Because no safety measures are currently in place, students are crossing the multi-lane highway after school at all intervals and during a time when Clifty Drive is especially congested.

I certainly share these concerns with Madison residents, and believe something must be done to address this danger now before we are forced to by accident or tragedy.

Over the summer and fall months, I worked with City of Madison officials and the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to find a way to improve safety for Madison students. Because of coordination and hard work at the state and local levels, Clifty Drive will soon be getting a safety-geared makeover.  

INDOT has recently approved plans to fund construction of a crosswalk at the intersection of Clifty Drive and North Nichols Drive near the high school. Before construction begins, INDOT requires that sidewalks be in place to facilitate use of the crosswalk.

This need has led to a public-private partnership designed to make sure these safety initiatives are carried out. Restaurants and businesses that line Clifty Drive, and whose patrons contribute to area traffic, have gotten involved. The City of Madison and the local McDonald’s are partnering up to jointly fund construction of the new sidewalks.

Construction of both the crosswalk and sidewalks is expected to be completed by mid-summer.

It’s encouraging to see the business community and our local and state governments working together to promote safety on our streets. As always, I welcome you to share your thoughts and ideas about how to improve our Southeast Indiana community and state. Please contact me by email at Senator.Smith@iga.in.gov or by phone at 800-382-9467.

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