LATEST CENTRAL INDIANA BUSINESS NEWSGood Evening, Central Indiana · Saturday, October 31, 2026GOVERNMENT & POLICYOct 28
Patchwork City: What Indianapolis’s road budget can—and can’t—repair
Indianapolis has more money planned for infrastructure, but a bigger capital number does not translate directly into smoother pavement. The city maintains nearly 8,400 lane miles of streets, according to its Vision Zero materials. Its 2026 public works capital plan totals $279 million, with $218 million assigned to transportation and about $62 million to stormwater. Those rounded figures cover bridges, sidewalks, drainage and other work as well as street surfaces.
Westfield’s Oct. 28 Board of Public Works agenda included a $76,500 American Structurepoint proposal to review the traffic study for a proposed Costco near 191st Street and U.S. 31 and examine the broader 191st Street corridor to Moontown Road. The city’s posted proposal allocates $10,000 to the Costco review and $66,500 to the corridor study. Current Publishing reported that the board approved the agreement. The engineering work will assess traffic forecasts, intersections and possible road improvements; it does not approve Costco’s requested rezoning or store access. The proposal calls for analysis of existing traffic and future development along the corridor, including scenarios for 2030 and 2050. Official board packet: https://westfieldin.portal.civicclerk.com/event/1872/files/attachment/5834
Indiana’s Department of Workforce Development lists a Dexter Axle closure notice for Elkhart affecting 51 workers. The company filed the notice Oct. 29, and the state table gives Dec. 31 as the planned closure date. DWD labels the action “CL” for closure and classifies the work as motor-vehicle transmission and power-train parts manufacturing. The table does not identify the specific building, describe affected jobs or provide a reason for the action. The notice signals a potential year-end loss of manufacturing work in Elkhart, but it does not show that the closure has already occurred. Official WARN table: https://www.in.gov/dwd/warn-notices/current-warn-notices/
Correction (Oct. 31): Indiana’s FY2027 Community Crossings award list confirms $319,805 for Hancock County and $364,847.50 for the City of Greenfield. The Indiana Department of Transportation says the awards were announced Oct. 28. Community Crossings supplies matching funds for eligible local road and bridge preservation; the listed amounts are grants, not total project costs. INDOT’s award list does not name the specific roads, construction contracts or completion dates for these recipients. An earlier version described a Cranberry Lake Estates project and 2027 construction schedule without a direct public project record; those details have been removed. The grants provide funding for future local infrastructure work, while project execution remains to be documented. INDOT’s award PDF is available from its Community Crossings page linked in Sources.
Dream Center Evansville has received a $50,000 CenterPoint Energy Foundation grant for a planned lead-detection project, according to an Oct. 27 report by WFIE that cites the grant announcement. The project, called The Dream Lab, focuses on the Jacobsville neighborhood and the wider Evansville area. WFIE reported separately on Oct. 29 that the group intends to use lead-detection technology in homes and community spaces. Dream Center describes itself as a nonprofit serving Jacobsville children and families. The grant funds a planned environmental-health effort; the available reports do not establish that neighborhood testing has begun or how many properties will be screened.
The Indianapolis Star links to IHSAA public-draw records that list semistate volleyball sessions on Oct. 24, Oct. 31 and Nov. 7, 2026, and identify Gainbridge Fieldhouse as the venue for the Nov. 7 session. The linked draw includes match pairings and recorded set scores and final results.
Boundless Recreation began producing recreational vehicles in Bristol this month and plans to grow its workforce to as many as 115 by the end of 2028, according to an Oct. 28 announcement by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. The company has hired 45 people so far. It says it is investing $2 million to equip a 104,000-square-foot manufacturing site for fifth-wheel trailers, with travel trailers planned later. The state expects the new positions to pay an average of 125% of the Elkhart County average wage. Those positions are a hiring target, not jobs already filled. The startup adds a producer to northern Indiana’s established RV manufacturing base.
Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly reported $24.4 billion in worldwide third-quarter revenue on Oct. 29, up 39% from the same period a year earlier. The company’s quarterly results put 2026 sales on a higher track: it now projects $91 billion to $92 billion in full-year revenue, compared with its previous range of $85 billion to $87 billion.
Brownsburg's Town Council advanced a proposed grocery and fuel site by voting to amend zoning for land southwest of Green Street and Northfield Drive on Oct. 22. The town's meeting agenda identifies the measure as Ordinance 2026-18; Current Publishing reported a 3-1 vote. The revised plan calls for a store building of up to 77,000 square feet. This is a land-use milestone, not a construction start. Further development review and permits remain before work can begin. The decision could add another grocery option in Hendricks County, while a construction schedule and opening date have not been announced.
Indiana artists can apply for a three-day business workshop scheduled in Bloomington for April 19–21, 2027. Indiana University’s Center for Rural Engagement said Oct. 26 that it and Pillar Arts will host the southern Indiana session of the state Arts Commission’s On-Ramp program. Participants will work on building a sustainable creative practice and may later seek up to $2,000 to put a business plan into action. The application deadline is Jan. 15 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern. An information webinar is set for Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. The announced opportunity is training and eligibility to apply for funding; the release does not identify grant recipients.
Purdue University and men’s basketball coach Matt Painter have agreed to an amended contract through the 2030–31 season, subject to full approval by the university’s trustees, according to Purdue Athletics’ Oct. 27 announcement. Purdue says the agreement raises Painter’s annual compensation and enhances retention and performance bonuses. It has not released the amounts; details are expected after the board acts. The university cited a 106-game sellout streak at Mackey Arena and strong fan and donor support in announcing the agreement. For the business of college sports in West Lafayette, the trustees’ decision and the contract’s financial terms are the next milestones. The extension is not yet final.
Correction (Oct. 31): MPL Intermediate LLC’s original notice to Indiana workforce officials identifies the affected facility as 203 N. Edgerton St. in Fairland. The notice, dated Oct. 27, anticipates 60 permanent job losses, with both the first and last separations expected Dec. 28, 2026. The state posted the notice Oct. 28 and classifies the action as a layoff. Neither the notice nor the state table says the facility will close or explains why the reduction is planned. The cuts are prospective; the filing does not establish that they have occurred. This matters to Shelby County’s manufacturing workforce as the year ends. An earlier version incorrectly said the specific worksite was unknown. Primary source: https://www.in.gov/dwd/files/warnnotices/Notice%20to%20Indiana%20Department%20of%20Workforce%20Development-%20MPL%20Intermediate%2C%20LLC.pdf?language_id=1
Two Indiana National Guard facilities are now available for commercial drone testing requests under an Army initiative announced Oct. 28. Companies can seek time at Camp Atterbury and Muscatatuck Training Center to develop and evaluate drones or systems designed to counter them. The Army says access is coordinated through its test-range portal and depends on capacity; a request does not secure a specific site or date.
Alro Metals announced in its October newsletter (posted 10/30/2026) that it has opened a new 254,000‑square‑foot facility in Oviedo, Florida. According to the company, the facility expands Alro’s presence and capabilities in the Orlando market. The item appeared as part of the Alro Newsletter October 2026, which highlights company news and industry activity.
FBT Gibbons reported that Intellectual Asset Management included partners David E. De Lorenzi and Robert E. Rudnick in its 2027 Global Leaders guide. The October 30 release identifies both as members of the firm’s intellectual property practice.
HNTB said it served as lead civil engineer and civil engineer of record for Salt Lake City International Airport’s completed redevelopment. Its October 30 release describes work on roadways, taxiways, utilities and transit connections while the Utah airport remained operational.
BusinessIndy (Business Indy) covers companies, public policy, technology and the economy across Indianapolis and Central Indiana. Explore local business news, market intelligence, company profiles and upcoming events.
