Indiana Notes

[trafficsignal]

Toll Road troubles...

http://www.ibj.com/indiana-asks-tollway-firm-to-prove-financial-stability/PARAMS/article/49549

[mukade]

Toll Road company to declare bankruptcy Monday (NWI Times)

The operator of the Indiana Toll Road plans to declare bankruptcy on Monday and put its 75-year lease for the road up for sale to interested bidders...

If there are no takers, then what?

[oscar]

Toll Road company to declare bankruptcy Monday (NWI Times)

The operator of the Indiana Toll Road plans to declare bankruptcy on Monday and put its 75-year lease for the road up for sale to interested bidders...

If there are no takers, then what?

Worst-case scenario is that the state gets its toll road back (it still owns the road), but gets to keep the $3.8 billion it got for the lease.  But as the end of the article indicates, the more likely outcome is that if the lease isn't sold, the company keeps the lease, but the bondholders get what bankruptcy lawyers politely call a "haircut" (sometimes more like getting scalped), to bring the company's debt payments more in line with actual toll revenues.

The planned bankruptcy is "prepackaged", with most bondholders accepting that they're going to get screwed, and agreeing to the company's plan.  That's usually what happens with privatized toll roads, anyway.  The bondholders, knowing that history, presumably held out for above-average interest rates, to offset the risk that their gravy train would sooner or later grind to a halt.

[monty]

New Tipton County Road 560 W / 550 W is now open across the NS Frankfort - Tipton rail line.  This newly constructed county road is just a half mile east of US 31.  The new road connects Division Road and SR 28 to the truck entrance of the new Tipton Chrysler plant.  The new gated RR crossing replaces a dangerous angled one on the narrow road (100 S) that parallels the railroad.

[US71]

Looks like it's official

[J N Winkler]

Thought I'd mention this:  Indiana DOT contract number 36984 (described as a "sign modernization"), for which bids were opened on September 10, will convert I-164 to I-69.

[NE2]

Thought I'd mention this:  Indiana DOT contract number 36984 (described as a "sign modernization"), for which bids were opened on September 10, will convert I-164 to I-69.

Where will milepost 0 be? The official south end of I-69 is at the US 41 overpass, despite I-164 officially extending 0.78 miles farther west (though the mileposts reset at US 41).

[on_wisconsin]

Looks like it's official

Anyone have a non-paywall'ed version?

[J N Winkler]

Where will milepost 0 be? The official south end of I-69 is at the US 41 overpass, despite I-164 officially extending 0.78 miles farther west (though the mileposts reset at US 41).

This construction plans set doesn't include mileposts and signs that have exit numbers are being left unchanged (US 41, for example, is still Exit 0), so I suspect this new length of I-69 will retain I-164's milepointing.  Google Maps suggests that I-69 milepointing and exit numbering north of the I-64 interchange already includes I-164 mileage.  I don't know how they plan to accommodate an Ohio River crossing.

[silverback1065]

Where will milepost 0 be? The official south end of I-69 is at the US 41 overpass, despite I-164 officially extending 0.78 miles farther west (though the mileposts reset at US 41).

This construction plans set doesn't include mileposts and signs that have exit numbers are being left unchanged (US 41, for example, is still Exit 0), so I suspect this new length of I-69 will retain I-164's milepointing.  Google Maps suggests that I-69 milepointing and exit numbering north of the I-64 interchange already includes I-164 mileage.  I don't know how they plan to accommodate an Ohio River crossing.

I always thought the plans were to call that little piece in between 41 and 69 after the bridge is built 1-169. 

[NE2]

This construction plans set doesn't include mileposts

Must be another contract, since mileposts have I-164 shields.

[theline]

I always thought the plans were to call that little piece in between 41 and 69 after the bridge is built 1-169.

That's most likely speculation you read in the "I-69 in Indiana" thread. I've seen nothing official on that, and would like a cite if anyone has heard official word.

[NWI_Irish96]

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/johnson-county/2014/10/17/can-diverging-diamonds-revolutionize-indiana-highways/17356505/

The new I-65 interchange at Worthsville Road (between existing exits 95 and 99) will have a diverging diamond.

[silverback1065]

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/johnson-county/2014/10/17/can-diverging-diamonds-revolutionize-indiana-highways/17356505/

The new I-65 interchange at Worthsville Road (between existing exits 95 and 99) will have a diverging diamond.

good article, but we've known that it will be a diverging diamond for years now.  I prefer to call them double reverse interchanges.

[tdindy88]

Now that this is brought up, there was a link to another article about a proposed project at SR 135 and Smith Valley Road in Greenwood. It proposes two roundabouts a short distance from the intersection with no left turns allowed from Smith Valley onto 135. Left turning traffic has to continue to a roundabout, turn around and head back to to the intersection and turn right. The paper calls it a modified Michigan-left but I wasn't sure if there was a better term for this kind of intersection, Michigan-lefts, at least the ones I've encountered in Michigan, don't use roundabouts.

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/johnson-county/2014/10/10/michigan-left-greenwood-johnson-county/17045019/

[billtm]

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/johnson-county/2014/10/17/can-diverging-diamonds-revolutionize-indiana-highways/17356505/

The new I-65 interchange at Worthsville Road (between existing exits 95 and 99) will have a diverging diamond.

good article, but we've known that it will be a diverging diamond for years now.  I prefer to call them double reverse interchanges.

I prefer to call them double diamonds. I'm special.

[mukade]

The diverging diamond on I-69 at SR 1/Dupont Rd. in Fort Wayne is open, but the pavement markings are not yet down (as of yesterday) so going thru there is still a bit confusing. I took the chance to also check out the Union Chapel Rd. interchange with its roundabouts as I only used it when it was brand new last year. It looks pretty nice after all the plantings are in.

On US 24 at SR 101 (i.e. the Fort to Port section of the Hoosier Heartland), a big Love's Travel Center is going in. A truck stop isn't necessarily a premier development, but I think that is probably a an OK location.

[US 41]

Speaking of roundabouts. SR 641 construction is moving along well. The sr 46 interchange is currently under construction as is the I 70 interchange. The Moyer drive overpass is also being worked on. I 70 has been narrowed down to one lane each direction.

[silverback1065]

Speaking of roundabouts. SR 641 construction is moving along well. The sr 46 interchange is currently under construction as is the I 70 interchange. The Moyer drive overpass is also being worked on. I 70 has been narrowed down to one lane each direction.

The backups caused by them narrowing 70 are very frustrating, are there roundabouts planned for this interchange?  Do you have any pictures of the proposed interchange?

[US 41]

The roundabouts are going to be at the sr 641 / sr 46 interchange a mile south of interstate 70. The sr 641 / I 70 interchange is going to be a Partial cloverleaf. Project maps can be found on indot's website under major projects or if you type "SR 641" into google the first option should be the projects home page. I'm currently using an unfamiliar device or else I would just copy and paste the link. I hope my description helps.

[jhuntin1]

Now that this is brought up, there was a link to another article about a proposed project at SR 135 and Smith Valley Road in Greenwood. It proposes two roundabouts a short distance from the intersection with no left turns allowed from Smith Valley onto 135. Left turning traffic has to continue to a roundabout, turn around and head back to to the intersection and turn right. The paper calls it a modified Michigan-left but I wasn't sure if there was a better term for this kind of intersection, Michigan-lefts, at least the ones I've encountered in Michigan, don't use roundabouts.

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/johnson-county/2014/10/10/michigan-left-greenwood-johnson-county/17045019/

Something needs to be done about that intersection, but I can't see how that solution will make things much better. It's still going to be a long line of cars except now they'll be turning right onto 135 instead of turning left, and they really need to lengthen the light for Smith Valley going through.

[silverback1065]

Now that this is brought up, there was a link to another article about a proposed project at SR 135 and Smith Valley Road in Greenwood. It proposes two roundabouts a short distance from the intersection with no left turns allowed from Smith Valley onto 135. Left turning traffic has to continue to a roundabout, turn around and head back to to the intersection and turn right. The paper calls it a modified Michigan-left but I wasn't sure if there was a better term for this kind of intersection, Michigan-lefts, at least the ones I've encountered in Michigan, don't use roundabouts.

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/johnson-county/2014/10/10/michigan-left-greenwood-johnson-county/17045019/

Something needs to be done about that intersection, but I can't see how that solution will make things much better. It's still going to be a long line of cars except now they'll be turning right onto 135 instead of turning left, and they really need to lengthen the light for Smith Valley going through.

It should make things better, but problems could arise from the light causing backups in the roundabouts.  It isn't a real Michigan left, since nothing is being done on SR 135. 

[bmeiser]

From what I've seen, nobody seems to know how to use roundabouts on the south side. This will be an interesting intersection for sure.

[silverback1065]

From what I've seen, nobody seems to know how to use roundabouts on the south side. This will be an interesting intersection for sure.

are there even more than 5 of them down there?

[bmeiser]

I've only seen 2 and have witnessed people driving the wrong way around one of them multiple times