Our Journey
Indiana Constructors, Inc. has been the trade association representing the Hoosier highway, heavy, and utility construction industry for 100 years. As we mark the ICI Centennial in 2024, our mission is not only to celebrate that milestone but to educate folks about our industry’s rich history and to motivate young people to choose a lifelong career of working in roads.
Our History
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1924
Indiana Association of Highway and Municipal Contractors
During the final organization meeting of the Indiana Association of Highway and Municipal Contractors (now called Indiana Constructors, Inc.), highway contractors from around Indiana met to approve the association's bylaws, appoint directors and find an executive secretary for the organization.
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1948
Indiana Joint Committee on Street-Highway Program
Recognizing a need for cooperative effort, Indiana counties, cities and the State Highway Commission formed the Indiana Joint Committee on Street-Highway Program. Today, ICI's Joint Cooperative Committee is still going strong, bringing together people from INDOT and ICI to come up with collaborative solutions.
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1955
Indiana Highways for Survival
Industry leaders founded Indiana Highways for Survival with a goal to inform the public about Indiana's dire need to update its roads. The group changed its name to Indiana Highways for Progress in 1983 and dissolved into Build Indiana Council in 1987.
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1956
The Interstate Highway System
President Eisenhower signed a 13-year, $32.5 billion highway bill, launching a roadbuilding program to build 41,000 miles of Interstate. The first Interstate to cross Indiana, I-74, fully opened in 1967. Today, Indiana serves as the "Crossroads of America" with I-64, I-65, I-69, I-70, I-74, I-80, I-90 and I-94 all crossing through the state. (The Indiana Album/Joan Hostetler Collection)
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1998
Lettings
The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) awards projects to contractors at a letting, which is the official receipt, opening and determination of the apparent low bidder. Before 1998, lettings would occur once a month at a hotel in downtown Indianapolis. Contractors would stay the weekend at the hotel, making deals with suppliers and subcontractors to develop their bids. Bids would be turned in to INDOT and brought back to the hotel for reading. In 1998, lettings moved to the Indiana Government Center South, and in 2007, INDOT shifted to electronic bidding. Many in the industry would consider it to be the end of an era. (The Indiana Album/J. Parke Randall Collection)
SUBMIT YOUR STORY OR PHOTO
Help us document how Hoosier workers have turned our state into the Crossroads of America. Tell us about your career journey or share that sepia-tone photo of your grandfather and his crew sitting with their legs dangling from a half-completed iron bridge.
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