INDOT makes changes to left turn lane in front of Batesville Kroger on Wednesday

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(BATESVILLE, Ind.) – The Indiana Department of Transportation began making changes in front of Kroger in Batesville on Wednesday. 

Last year, INDOT installed a median divider on State Road 229 that prevented drivers going toward Oldenburg to access one of the entrances into Kroger. 

Officials at the time said the divider was created due to the number of crashes in the area. 

INDOT officials say they evaluated concerns following the implementation and have now decided to make room for wider U-turns. 

“The lanes will be shifted, and the existing Left Turn lane will be striped out as a gore and the Thru lane will become the Left/U-turn lane. This will allow for a greater turning radius for the vehicles making a U-turn,” INDOT officials said. 

They added that there will also be new loops installed in the left turn lane, additional striping and signage. 

Batesville Mayor John Irrgang said the work on Wednesday came as a surprise to him. 

“I spoke with INDOT today, and they indicated that they typically send a public notice out after the work is complete. I will continue to work to improve communication between organizations so we can keep you better informed and avoid surprises for everyone,” he said.