Indiana Department of Transportation officials met with contractors and representatives of North Christian Church recently to review plans for environmental mitigation required as a result of an added travel lanes project on U.S. 31.

INDOT says that in order to compensate for tree loss during 2009 construction adjacent to church property, the state—in mutual agreement with North Christian Church, National Park Service, the Indiana State Historic Preservation Officer and Federal Highway Administration, will replant four parking lot islands in accordance with a mitigation landscaping plan.

Yardberry Landscaping of Anderson, INDOT’s contractor for this $267,869 mitigation project, plans to begin removing and replacing the arborvitae and maple trees in landscape islands by mid-month. Work at North Christian Church, is expected to continue for six weeks, weather allowing. Officials say that the church and the parking lots will remain open.