Indiana interstate construction costs have risen, INDOT cites inflation and competition with data centers

Indiana Capital Chronicle reported on 2026-10-02 that average cost per centerline mile for Indiana interstate projects rose between the 2015 fiscal year and the 2026 state fiscal year. The article says INDOT and industry participants attribute the increase to rising steel and concrete prices, broader materials and equipment inflation, competition with data-center construction, complex traffic maintenance needs and two complicated projects included in the FY2026 average.

The report summarizes INDOT’s stated responses: the agency uses 20-year asset-management plans, bundles projects by timing and location, employs alternative delivery methods that involve contractors earlier in pre-construction, and procures work through competitive bidding that seeks the lowest-priced proposal. It also notes a post-2017 shift from resurfacing work toward major capital projects, which the article links to higher per-mile costs.

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