Indiana Notes

[NWI_Irish96]

I think it's a bad idea, you want traffic to slow down in your downtown, not speed up.

Yes but if you think the slowness of the road is causing people to bypass your downtown entirely then it's worth a shot.  As it stands now, whenever I'm heading up 31 I generally stop for gas/food at the 151st St exit.  Maybe with this road project and some signing/advertising, Westfield can get me to try the IN 32 exit instead.

[silverback1065]

I think it's a bad idea, you want traffic to slow down in your downtown, not speed up.

Yes but if you think the slowness of the road is causing people to bypass your downtown entirely then it's worth a shot.  As it stands now, whenever I'm heading up 31 I generally stop for gas/food at the 151st St exit.  Maybe with this road project and some signing/advertising, Westfield can get me to try the IN 32 exit instead.

i think it's really because there's no reason to go there, downtown westfield has nothing of note in it, yet.  I know they're working on this, but honestly the portion east of downtown to the white river is what needs to be widened.

[silverback1065]

random question, but when were the highways inside the 265 beltway rerouted in the new albany area?

[NWI_Irish96]

random question, but when were the highways inside the 265 beltway rerouted in the new albany area?

When I moved to the area in 2006, the only state highway inside of 265 was IN 111.  From south to north it ran Main St -> Vincennes St -> Charlestown Rd -> Beechwood Ave -> Grant Line Rd. 

The southern end of IN 311 (formerly US31W) had already been truncated at I-265 by 2006 (previously continued down Charlestown to Beechwood) and IN 62 (Spring St -> Vincennes St -> Main St -> Corydon Pike) had also already been rerouted along I-265 by 2006.

I don't remember the exact date, but I believe it was in 2012, IN 111 got rerouted along I-64 and I-265.  In January 2013, the northern end of IN 111 got truncated to I-64 in downtown New Albany.  At the same time, IN 311 and IN 403 were eliminated entirely and the eastern end of IN 160 was truncated to US 31. 

There also used to be an IN 131 that ran through Clarksville between I-65/US 31 and the old alignment of IN 62 but that was also gone by 2006.

[silverback1065]

it must have been in the 90s, i'm looking at some old plans dated 1983 for the old interchange at 62 and 131 (now browns station and lewis and clark). i bet mukade knows

[mvak36]

This probably should be in the Ohio Valley forum but I'll post in this thread. It looks like the state will be expanding the section between Seymour and Columbus to six lanes. http://www.tribtown.com/2017/03/27/state-planning-to-widen-interstate/

[silverback1065]

why are they widening 65 in seemingly random areas?  why not continue from sr 44 down to sr 58 in phases?  now there are several islands of 6 lanes. i wonder how they're going to fix the 46 bridge when they inevitably widen that one

[mvak36]

why are they widening 65 in seemingly random areas?  why not continue from sr 44 down to sr 58 in phases?  now there are several islands of 6 lanes. i wonder how they're going to fix the 46 bridge when they inevitably widen that one

Yeah, it seems a little odd that they're doing this segment first. I was thinking they would be making their way from Indianapolis outwards.

Maybe that area has old pavement and they're rebuilding that first?

[NWI_Irish96]

why are they widening 65 in seemingly random areas?  why not continue from sr 44 down to sr 58 in phases?  now there are several islands of 6 lanes. i wonder how they're going to fix the 46 bridge when they inevitably widen that one

As someone who drives New Albany to Indy a LOT, I can tell you that if they can't do it all, doing a section in the middle is the next best thing.  Getting stuck in a large block of trucks going 66 in the left lane passing trucks going 65 in the right lane is a regular occurrence.  Doing the next section in the middle minimizes the longest stretches of 2-lane sections, giving relief to these truck blockades. 

It does seem to have the older pavement though, and I would guess that traffic counts are higher on that section than the others that are yet to be done.

[silverback1065]

why are they widening 65 in seemingly random areas?  why not continue from sr 44 down to sr 58 in phases?  now there are several islands of 6 lanes. i wonder how they're going to fix the 46 bridge when they inevitably widen that one

As someone who drives New Albany to Indy a LOT, I can tell you that if they can't do it all, doing a section in the middle is the next best thing.  Getting stuck in a large block of trucks going 66 in the left lane passing trucks going 65 in the right lane is a regular occurrence.  Doing the next section in the middle minimizes the longest stretches of 2-lane sections, giving relief to these truck blockades. 

It does seem to have the older pavement though, and I would guess that traffic counts are higher on that section than the others that are yet to be done.

that makes sense.  also why do they make trucks go 5 miles slower than normal traffic?  i don't see how 5 miles less is safer, does it have to do with damage to the pavement?

[billtm]

why are they widening 65 in seemingly random areas?  why not continue from sr 44 down to sr 58 in phases?  now there are several islands of 6 lanes. i wonder how they're going to fix the 46 bridge when they inevitably widen that one

As someone who drives New Albany to Indy a LOT, I can tell you that if they can't do it all, doing a section in the middle is the next best thing.  Getting stuck in a large block of trucks going 66 in the left lane passing trucks going 65 in the right lane is a regular occurrence.  Doing the next section in the middle minimizes the longest stretches of 2-lane sections, giving relief to these truck blockades. 

It does seem to have the older pavement though, and I would guess that traffic counts are higher on that section than the others that are yet to be done.

that makes sense.  also why do they make trucks go 5 miles slower than normal traffic?  i don't see how 5 miles less is safer, does it have to do with damage to the pavement?

I'd guess that it probably has more to do with stopping distances.

[dvferyance]

random question, but when were the highways inside the 265 beltway rerouted in the new albany area?

When I moved to the area in 2006, the only state highway inside of 265 was IN 111.  From south to north it ran Main St -> Vincennes St -> Charlestown Rd -> Beechwood Ave -> Grant Line Rd. 

The southern end of IN 311 (formerly US31W) had already been truncated at I-265 by 2006 (previously continued down Charlestown to Beechwood) and IN 62 (Spring St -> Vincennes St -> Main St -> Corydon Pike) had also already been rerouted along I-265 by 2006.

I don't remember the exact date, but I believe it was in 2012, IN 111 got rerouted along I-64 and I-265.  In January 2013, the northern end of IN 111 got truncated to I-64 in downtown New Albany.  At the same time, IN 311 and IN 403 were eliminated entirely and the eastern end of IN 160 was truncated to US 31. 

There also used to be an IN 131 that ran through Clarksville between I-65/US 31 and the old alignment of IN 62 but that was also gone by 2006.

IN 311 was one state highway that was axed that I would have kept. Indiana is becoming worse than Wisconsin just axing highways on request from local governments. I never get why that's a good idea.

[seicer]

State of Indiana has a mileage cap. But I would agree that it can be extreme. When you are in rural areas, it's hard to find through routes because the roadways have reverted to county or township control, so quality of signage and pavement conditions is all over the place.

[dvferyance]

State of Indiana has a mileage cap. But I would agree that it can be extreme. When you are in rural areas, it's hard to find through routes because the roadways have reverted to county or township control, so quality of signage and pavement conditions is all over the place.

I know but they are a good 300 miles under it. No danger of exceeding it at all. I have suggested Indiana does what Virginia does the city can own it but still be signed as a state highway so it's still a through route.

[thefro]

why are they widening 65 in seemingly random areas?  why not continue from sr 44 down to sr 58 in phases?  now there are several islands of 6 lanes. i wonder how they're going to fix the 46 bridge when they inevitably widen that one

I'd guess the segment from SR 58 to US 50 is probably the easiest/cheapest to widen of anything left south of Indianapolis.  Not much traffic

[compdude787]

I have suggested Indiana does what Virginia does the city can own it but still be signed as a state highway so it's still a through route.

This is a tangent, but California should do the same thing, too.

[nwi_navigator_1181]

An update regarding the concrete restoration project on I-65 in Lake County, and it will rub a lot of drivers the wrong way.

Work and lane realignment starts Tuesday night (4-11-17) and will last throughout the summer, from north of 61st Avenue to the I-80/94 merge/split. However, unlike last year, one lane will be closed in each direction at all times, making delays inevitable. This is a safeguard to keep workers safe, which I am totally okay with. The expansion project south of US 30 should be starting soon after.

Long range travelers between Chicago and Indianapolis (and beyond) should strongly consider US 41 as an alternate route (or, in extreme cases, I-57).

[Revive 755]

Heard on the radio this afternoon that Indiana's governor signed off on a proposed gas tax increase.

http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/beat-up-south-bend-roads-to-benefit-from-indiana-gas/article_76e4c8ff-c8f5-535a-9213-54e63dc8e276.html

[I-39]

Excellent! And they are indexing it to inflation too! Good for Indiana. Hopefully, this will provide funding for finishing the US 31 freeway conversion between South Bend and Indianapolis.

EDIT: I agree now with the consensus that the US 31 freeway conversion should come after I-69 and the I-65 widenings are completed.

[NWI_Irish96]

Excellent! And they are indexing it to inflation too! Good for Indiana. Hopefully, this will provide funding for finishing the US 31 freeway conversion between South Bend and Indianapolis.

Hopefully that project falls in line behind finishing I-69 and six-laning I-65 and I-70.

[dvferyance]

Excellent! And they are indexing it to inflation too! Good for Indiana. Hopefully, this will provide funding for finishing the US 31 freeway conversion between South Bend and Indianapolis.

Say hello to I-67!

[billtm]

Excellent! And they are indexing it to inflation too! Good for Indiana. Hopefully, this will provide funding for finishing the US 31 freeway conversion between South Bend and Indianapolis.

Hopefully that project falls in line behind finishing I-69 and six-laning I-65 and I-70.

And re-take control of state highways that fall within city limits! (Or at least responsibility for signing them)

[PurdueBill]

Excellent! And they are indexing it to inflation too! Good for Indiana. Hopefully, this will provide funding for finishing the US 31 freeway conversion between South Bend and Indianapolis.

Hopefully that project falls in line behind finishing I-69 and six-laning I-65 and I-70.

And re-take control of state highways that fall within city limits! (Or at least responsibility for signing them)

In West Lafayette, it seems that the city doesn't want that anyway.  The reason given for the State Street project going on now is that with the completion of 231, State Street is no longer a state road so we finally can do whatever we want with it!  Not that there is a very good through route alternate other than going completely around on some roads that can't handle it.  If you were taking SR 26 from one side of Lafayette/West Lafayette as thru traffic and (as it is now) State Street is just completely closed, what is the best route? Take 231 south and follow 52 over Teal Road (which is slow and 2-lane) and then onto unnumbered Sagamore Parkway up to former 26?  Or go the other way around, north on 231 and then south on former 231/52 and again down unnumbered Sagamore Parkway?  When the project is done, the path of former 26 will be open but still unnumbered.  How does INDOT expect people to navigate?  (Don't say GPS. Can't always trust GPS.)  Why have route numbers if they randomly end and restart?

Indeed, blazing the numbers over non-state-maintained roads would help a lot.  But also I don't know that some cities even want that...West Lafayette seems to be happy to let 26 hit a black hole.  Heck, they found $$$ to take down perfectly functional INDOT signals that weren't pretty enough and replace them with fancier posts all over town, and even take the signs off the gantry on North River Road (former 231) but still paint the gantry black for style even if it sits empty.  Wacky stuff.  Why not just paint the signal masts and arms too and save some $$$?  They'd look about the same in the end and you could still be using what INDOT left behind.

[nwi_navigator_1181]

For those of you who regularly use the Indiana Toll Road, be prepared to put a lot more money into your EZ(I)-Passes.

Rates for transponder users will finally increase to match the rates of cash payers starting in June, with another increase in play July 1. Long story short, going from the Portage Toll Barrier to the Ohio State Line will cost $10.75 for passenger car drivers.

Construction updates on the interstates in Northwest Indiana:

I-80/94 has been reduced to two lanes at Indiana 51 (Ripley Street) for bridge work over the Toll Road; this also includes a new sign gantry for the eastbound Borman to Toll Road exit (replacing the one destroyed by a truck load a couple years back). However, for safety reasons, traffic from either direction of I-94 is unable to exit to the Toll Road, and the ramps from Ripley Street northbound and the Toll Road to I-94 eastbound are closed. Those in that immediate area are encouraged to use the loop ramps to enter I-94 eastbound. If you're on (or west of) I-65, use I-65 to get on the Toll Road. If you're out further east, use Indiana 49. (Speaking of the section west of I-65, only three lanes are open between Kennedy Avenue and I-65 for concrete restoration. Work areas will be separated by concrete barriers.)

Work to widen I-65 from Merrillville to Lowell officially broke ground this past weekend, with work officially starting this week. Utility and digging work starts this week, but major lane shifts will start in June. Concrete restoration north of US 30 is in progress, with work going in each direction, and in small sections. Much like the Borman, work areas are separated with concrete barriers, which will prevent any weaving or illegal crossovers. Finally, resurfacing is in progress between the Borman and US 12/20, with the original surface stripped. All lanes are open, and lane closures will only take place during actual work. Be wary of uneven pavement.

[Joe The Dragon]

For those of you who regularly use the Indiana Toll Road, be prepared to put a lot more money into your EZ(I)-Passes.

Rates for transponder users will finally increase to match the rates of cash payers starting in June, with another increase in play July 1. Long story short, going from the Portage Toll Barrier to the Ohio State Line will cost $10.75 for passenger car drivers.

Construction updates on the interstates in Northwest Indiana:

I-80/94 has been reduced to two lanes at Indiana 51 (Ripley Street) for bridge work over the Toll Road; this also includes a new sign gantry for the eastbound Borman to Toll Road exit (replacing the one destroyed by a truck load a couple years back). However, for safety reasons, traffic from either direction of I-94 is unable to exit to the Toll Road, and the ramps from Ripley Street northbound and the Toll Road to I-94 eastbound are closed. Those in that immediate area are encouraged to use the loop ramps to enter I-94 eastbound. If you're on (or west of) I-65, use I-65 to get on the Toll Road. If you're out further east, use Indiana 49. (Speaking of the section west of I-65, only three lanes are open between Kennedy Avenue and I-65 for concrete restoration. Work areas will be separated by concrete barriers.)

Work to widen I-65 from Merrillville to Lowell officially broke ground this past weekend, with work officially starting this week. Utility and digging work starts this week, but major lane shifts will start in June. Concrete restoration north of US 30 is in progress, with work going in each direction, and in small sections. Much like the Borman, work areas are separated with concrete barriers, which will prevent any weaving or illegal crossovers. Finally, resurfacing is in progress between the Borman and US 12/20, with the original surface stripped. All lanes are open, and lane closures will only take place during actual work. Be wary of uneven pavement.

so I-PASS / EZ-PASS users will pay more then cash?? with added fee? or is that going away?