PORTAGE | The Plan Commission on Monday night approved the addition of a building and three lanes to the Portage plaza on the Indiana Toll Road.

ITR Concession Co., the private operator of the road, is set to begin construction on the improvements before winter.

Sam Wolfe, infrastructure manager for ITR, said that as part of the lease of the Toll Road, the company had to agree to begin electronic toll collection within two years. That has been completed from the Illinois state line to the Portage plaza. The company determined the lanes would have to be added to further accommodate the electronic tolling.

Currently, there are 12 lanes at the plaza. ITR determined six would be needed for eastbound traffic and nine for westbound traffic. Three of the center lanes will have the capacity to be reverse travel lanes. Each lane will have electronic tolling capability and a portion still will accept cash payment.

Commission member and City Councilman Richard Turnak said he was concerned about the noise that has been a constant issue with surrounding residents.

"Is there any way you can deaden some of the sound?" he said.

Wolfe said that in order to keep the lanes farther away from residential property, ITR decided to add them to the south side of the Toll Road, which created the need for a new building. The building will be large enough to shield some of the noise, he said.

Turnak and commission President Joel Vuko reiterated concerns about adding buffering, even on the south side, as part of the project.

Wolfe said he would pass that concern to the company to determine if anything could be done.

Member Scott Falk said he had some concerns with the size of the parking spaces in the lot west of the building. He suggested, and representatives agreed, to make the spaces a little longer to meet code.