US-41 Interstate Conversion

[Revive 755]

Have you ever been on that stretch of US-41?  The northern part from Lake County down to I-74 is very lightly traveled.  The current four lane set up works just fine.

The southern section between I-74 and Evansville is busier but I still don't think is worthy of any sort of upgrade.

I'm thinking that a big part of its 'lightly-traveled' thing is that it is not a full freeway, complete with the STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOP thing that such Indiana highways are famous for.  It would be a direct shot between the upper Great Lakes region and the USA's southeast without having to pass through any other big city metro areas between Chicagoland and Nashville.

Mike

I don't think the congested, stoplight infested stretch of US 41 between Cedar Lake and I-80/I-94 helps get traffic to use US 41 over I-65 either.

[SEWIGuy]

I just drove US-41 between Chicago and Nashville yesterday.  It isn't an easily route to upgrade.  There are stretches where the current four lanes would work fine.  But there are also many places where new terrain routes would be a necessity, including a Terre Haute bypass, which wouldn't be cheap.  And as mentioned above, you are only talking about subtracting 30 miles between the two cities.

I have a hard time believing that this would be a less expensive option than simply adding a lane to the current I-65 over the course of time.

[mgk920]

I just drove US-41 between Chicago and Nashville yesterday.  It isn't an easily route to upgrade.  There are stretches where the current four lanes would work fine.  But there are also many places where new terrain routes would be a necessity, including a Terre Haute bypass, which wouldn't be cheap.  And as mentioned above, you are only talking about subtracting 30 miles between the two cities.

I have a hard time believing that this would be a less expensive option than simply adding a lane to the current I-65 over the course of time.

Is IN 641 ultimately planned to be a complete US 41 bypass of Terre Haute?

Mike

[SEWIGuy]

I just drove US-41 between Chicago and Nashville yesterday.  It isn't an easily route to upgrade.  There are stretches where the current four lanes would work fine.  But there are also many places where new terrain routes would be a necessity, including a Terre Haute bypass, which wouldn't be cheap.  And as mentioned above, you are only talking about subtracting 30 miles between the two cities.

I have a hard time believing that this would be a less expensive option than simply adding a lane to the current I-65 over the course of time.

Is IN 641 ultimately planned to be a complete US 41 bypass of Terre Haute?

Mike

No I think it is only supposed to go from US-41 south of town to the IN-46 interchange with I-70.

I would think that a true bypass would need to be routed to the west, crossing the Wabash just south of the federal prison, swing just west of West Terre Haute, and hooking back east to IN-63.

[jprocknow]

There is apparently talk of making it a full eastern bypass but the north half is a long way off from being built.

[Big John]

Google Maps have jumped the gun and are labeling it "Interstate 41"  Words only, no shields

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.5235864,-87.9478484,16z

[jprocknow]

They're not quite sure where it's going, apparently.

https://goo.gl/maps/yP8mY

[tchafe1978]

Looks like they just plastered it on the whole route of US 41, as it's also labeled Interstate 41 on Appleton Ave. and the stadium Freeway.

[skluth]

Looks like they just plastered it on the whole route of US 41, as it's also labeled Interstate 41 on Appleton Ave. and the stadium Freeway.

I thought you might have meant the Zoo Freeway. But you are correct. Google is definitely out to lunch on the Stadium Freeway.

[dfwmapper]

Dumbass Google editor added the name to all of US 41 from where it merges with I-94 just south of the border all the way to Menominee. Outsourcing to India at its finest.

[vtk]

At least they got the southern terminus right.  It wouldn't have surprised me to see the whole thing all the way down to Dixie co-labelled Interstate 41.

[Fox 11 News]

According to Sen. Baldwin's office, the bill to grandfather the weight limits along US41 once the change is made to interstate status is in the Omnibus Appropriations bill that both House & Senate are expected to pass this week.

We called DOT but they didn't want to talk about next steps...

[FightingIrish]

According to Sen. Baldwin's office, the bill to grandfather the weight limits along US41 once the change is made to interstate status is in the Omnibus Appropriations bill that both House & Senate are expected to pass this week.

We called DOT but they didn't want to talk about next steps...

I was wondering if I-41 was included in the omnibus bill. It's certainly been awhile. Thanks much for the update.

FYI, the newly completed Watertown Plank interchange is chock full of covered I-41 signs.

[jprocknow]

According to Sen. Baldwin's office, the bill to grandfather the weight limits along US41 once the change is made to interstate status is in the Omnibus Appropriations bill that both House & Senate are expected to pass this week.

We called DOT but they didn't want to talk about next steps...

I was wondering if I-41 was included in the omnibus bill. It's certainly been awhile. Thanks much for the update.

FYI, the newly completed Watertown Plank interchange is chock full of covered I-41 signs.

What a sprawling exit that has become...Can't wait to see how it flows once it's fully open and busy.  It was really odd to drive Watertown Plank Road under the four bridges and have no traffic lights at all.

[SSOWorld]

According to Sen. Baldwin's office, the bill to grandfather the weight limits along US41 once the change is made to interstate status is in the Omnibus Appropriations bill that both House & Senate are expected to pass this week.

We called DOT but they didn't want to talk about next steps...

I was wondering if I-41 was included in the omnibus bill. It's certainly been awhile. Thanks much for the update.

FYI, the newly completed Watertown Plank interchange is chock full of covered I-41 signs.

What a sprawling exit that has become...Can't wait to see how it flows once it's fully open and busy.  It was really odd to drive Watertown Plank Road under the four bridges and have no traffic lights at all.

See 27th st and I-894

[US 41]

There is apparently talk of making it a full eastern bypass but the north half is a long way off from being built.

Most likely it will never be built. It's getting too built up on the north side of Terre Haute and SR 46 has become the new hotbed for stores. It would be too difficult to upgrade SR 46 on the east side of Terre Haute.

EDIT: The only chance US 41 had of becoming a freeway was between Terre Haute and Evansville as I-69. INDOT may one day upgrade US 41 (and 63) across Indiana, but I wouldn't count on it.

[jprocknow]

See 27th st and I-894

I know the layouts are similar, but WTP is definitely bigger.  It's got those loop ramps that 27th doesn't and Swan Blvd is also part of it, to me.

[Fox 11 News]

http://fox11online.com/2014/12/11/u-s-41-one-step-closer-to-becoming-interstate-41/

[FightingIrish]

See 27th st and I-894

I know the layouts are similar, but WTP is definitely bigger.  It's got those loop ramps that 27th doesn't and Swan Blvd is also part of it, to me.

The new TH100 Interchange west of the zoo is a half variation. Only one U-ramp. It is scheduled to possibly be open by today.

[Henry]

So now that I-41 is another step closer to becoming reality, how long before we get I-341 in Milwaukee and I-441 in Appleton? (to replace the same-numbered state routes that exist in their respective locations)

[jprocknow]

So now that I-41 is another step closer to becoming reality, how long before we get I-341 in Milwaukee and I-441 in Appleton? (to replace the same-numbered state routes that exist in their respective locations)

I'm not sure you'll see I-341.  It doesn't connect to it's parent, unless of course WisDOT wants to duplex it on I-94 to the Zoo.  Shh, don't give them any ideas.
I-441 is probably likely.  When, I dunno.  In their reasoning for making the route a 2di instead of 3di, WisDOT said that it designating it I-41 allows auxiliary interstates to branch off.  (Nevermind Tulsa, Oakland, Gaithersburg, MD, or Buffalo)  The major hold up on the designation would be making at least one of the missing ramps, from 441 to SB I-41.  The stub is just waiting for a flyover!  Another could be smoothing the turns east of the Little Butte des Morts Bridge.

[FightingIrish]

So now that I-41 is another step closer to becoming reality, how long before we get I-341 in Milwaukee and I-441 in Appleton? (to replace the same-numbered state routes that exist in their respective locations)

TH341 is nowhere near the new I-41. It may be renumbered as TH175, or stay as is. And I highly doubt any of the Stadium Freeway is interstate-eligible.

[GeekJedi]

So now that I-41 is another step closer to becoming reality, how long before we get I-341 in Milwaukee and I-441 in Appleton? (to replace the same-numbered state routes that exist in their respective locations)

TH341 is nowhere near the new I-41. It may be renumbered as TH175, or stay as is. And I highly doubt any of the Stadium Freeway is interstate-eligible.

I believe renumbering WI-341 to WI-175 is already a done deal.  There were some sign plans a while back for the I-94 project that specified signing Miller Park Way as WI-175.

[SSOWorld]

and it won't be signed until Sept 2015.

Really - WHY WAIT!!!???

[Big John]

So now that I-41 is another step closer to becoming reality, how long before we get I-341 in Milwaukee and I-441 in Appleton? (to replace the same-numbered state routes that exist in their respective locations)

I'm not sure you'll see I-341.  It doesn't connect to it's parent, unless of course WisDOT wants to duplex it on I-94 to the Zoo.  Shh, don't give them any ideas.
I-441 is probably likely.  When, I dunno.  In their reasoning for making the route a 2di instead of 3di, WisDOT said that it designating it I-41 allows auxiliary interstates to branch off.  (Nevermind Tulsa, Oakland, Gaithersburg, MD, or Buffalo)  The major hold up on the designation would be making at least one of the missing ramps, from 441 to SB I-41.  The stub is just waiting for a flyover!  Another could be smoothing the turns east of the Little Butte des Morts Bridge.

They are working on doing those now, with parts currently under construction.