SR 46 (US 40) East of Terre Haute, the next 3rd Street???

[US 41]

I saw on the updated LRTP for Vigo County that INDOT is considering extending SR 641 to the northwest. As a Terre Haute resident, I am going to guess that this will start at the traffic signal at Wabash and SR 46. I am doubtful INDOT will make SR 46 freeway from I-70 to Wabash. With all of the development at New Margaret Ave. I am worried that SR 46 will become the next 3rd Street in Terre Haute. Maybe if INDOT started the SR 641 northwest extension east of the airport on I-70 that might be better. That might interfere with a proposed interchange at Tabortown Road however. Maybe you guys have some thoughts on this!?!?

[silverback1065]

I saw on the updated LRTP for Vigo County that INDOT is considering extending SR 641 to the northwest. As a Terre Haute resident, I am going to guess that this will start at the traffic signal at Wabash and SR 46. I am doubtful INDOT will make SR 46 freeway from I-70 to Wabash. With all of the development at New Margaret Ave. I am worried that SR 46 will become the next 3rd Street in Terre Haute. Maybe if INDOT started the SR 641 northwest extension east of the airport on I-70 that might be better. That might interfere with a proposed interchange at Tabortown Road however. Maybe you guys have some thoughts on this!?!?

I believe the plan is to continue 641 to bypass the entire city and to connect way north of the city, and when complete it will carry us 41 us 150 and maybe SR 63 (not sure about 63) but I don't think it will be a interstate quality road.  This is the problem with INDOT's bypasses, they make bypasses that aren't interstate quality around cities, and then the city it bypasses puts all of this development on the new bypass, then the bypass becomes worthless.  Examples include SR 37 in Noblesville, SR 931, us 36 in Avon, and eventually US 231 in West Lafayette.  I know it's expensive, but wouldn't frontage roads help this issue? 

[SEWIGuy]

I am a former Terre Haute resident.

Unless things have drastically changed, routing a bypass up IN-46/US-40 to Wabash (or something parallel to the east) that doesn't eventually connect to IN-63 IMO is a waste.  Furthermore, I would really like to see the numbers involved here.  How much traffic that enters the city from the south on US-41, leaves the city on IN-63?  Is that worth the cost?

Furthermore I have to wonder if swinging something that far east, only to come all the way back west, is really going to save all that much time unless it is a full freeway.  Look at a map...routing something to the west of TH would have been much better.

[silverback1065]

I am a former Terre Haute resident.

Unless things have drastically changed, routing a bypass up IN-46/US-40 to Wabash (or something parallel to the east) that doesn't eventually connect to IN-63 IMO is a waste.  Furthermore, I would really like to see the numbers involved here.  How much traffic that enters the city from the south on US-41, leaves the city on IN-63?  Is that worth the cost?

Furthermore I have to wonder if swinging something that far east, only to come all the way back west, is really going to save all that much time unless it is a full freeway.  Look at a map...routing something to the west of TH would have been much better.

in order to do that you have to cross the wabash twice, very expensive.

[Captain Jack]

If you don't cross the Wabash, then that means it will have to make it to SR-63 at or below the current US 41-SR 63 split, which will make it more of a "L" shape across the northside. With it being 5-6 miles east of US 41, and littered with traffic lights, that will not make it a suitable bypass for north-south traffic.

Many people do not currently utilize I-164 around Evansville, rather opting to remain on US 41. That is 19 miles long, only 3 miles to the east of US 41, and a full interstate route.

[SEWIGuy]

I am a former Terre Haute resident.

Unless things have drastically changed, routing a bypass up IN-46/US-40 to Wabash (or something parallel to the east) that doesn't eventually connect to IN-63 IMO is a waste.  Furthermore, I would really like to see the numbers involved here.  How much traffic that enters the city from the south on US-41, leaves the city on IN-63?  Is that worth the cost?

Furthermore I have to wonder if swinging something that far east, only to come all the way back west, is really going to save all that much time unless it is a full freeway.  Look at a map...routing something to the west of TH would have been much better.

in order to do that you have to cross the wabash twice, very expensive.

Only once if you bypass around the west to IN-63.

[jnewkirk77]

When I lived in TH back in the mid-'90s, I was told that a western bypass would cost far more than it would ever benefit, because of crossing the river and having to be raised out of the flood plain in places.  641 was then, is now, and always will be the better idea, IMHO, and extending it north and west would be a good plan, whether or not they do it as a freeway.

[silverback1065]

When I lived in TH back in the mid-'90s, I was told that a western bypass would cost far more than it would ever benefit, because of crossing the river and having to be raised out of the flood plain in places.  641 was then, is now, and always will be the better idea, IMHO, and extending it north and west would be a good plan, whether or not they do it as a freeway.

I don't think the bypass will be done until after 2020 and beyond due to funding priorities, they are currently obsessed with getting 69 done.

[SEWIGuy]

When I lived in TH back in the mid-'90s, I was told that a western bypass would cost far more than it would ever benefit, because of crossing the river and having to be raised out of the flood plain in places.  641 was then, is now, and always will be the better idea, IMHO, and extending it north and west would be a good plan, whether or not they do it as a freeway.

OK thanks.  The other benefit from the eastern bypass is that takes care of the I-70 WB to US-41 SB traffic.

That being said, I just don't think a full eastern bypass will ever make much sense considering the distance.