Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[tdindy88]

I still like the 37 option. I don't see why people would rather prefer new terrain in this case when there really isn't a need for it. The Mann Road option just seems to me as if it will be tearing through homes along that corridor, it is a two-lane road after all. From my experience with 37 people don't actually live directly off the highway so I don't see too much in terms of homes being destroyed, though I'm not sure about interchanges or overpasses, it'd be no different than the 37 construction from Bloomington up to Martinsville now. I do notice thought that Martinsville is keeping its part along 37 and from what I hear that is what Martinsville wants, I'm still curious to see how they'll build it through that town. Finally, a family member of mine has been talking with some people who are familiar with the project (not directly I think) who say that the lakes around the 37/465 exit are supposedly being filled in.

[mukade]

Here is the INDOT press release on the I-69 section 6 alternatives.

I don't know if this article was posted here that described section 5 work: I-69 work heats up for summer to convert Ind. 37 between Bloomington and Martinsville from Indiana Economic Digest

[US 41]

I like D, only because it would go by the airport and B seems more out of the way than D. I'm pretty sure it will go on SR 37 all the way to 465. Why wouldn't they build it on 37?

[The Ghostbuster]

Would anyone hazard a guess as to when one might be able to travel Interstate 69 from Evansville to the Michigan State Line nonstop?

[silverback1065]

I like D, only because it would go by the airport and B seems more out of the way than D. I'm pretty sure it will go on SR 37 all the way to 465. Why wouldn't they build it on 37?

The people in Perry Township thinking it will cut off routes for school kids to get to class and business owner that should have known this was going to happen that built in the path around Southport Road.  It seems very likely that all cross streets will get bridges, Edgewood Ave and Belmont Ave may not though.

[mukade]

Would anyone hazard a guess as to when one might be able to travel Interstate 69 from Evansville to the Michigan State Line nonstop?

November 21, 2018

[andy]

Would anyone hazard a guess as to when one might be able to travel Interstate 69 from Evansville to the Michigan State Line nonstop?

November 21, 2018

Just a wild guess, but I think you're about a year early.  Best I remember, FEIS is scheduled for spring of '18.

[tdindy88]

Build the bridges for Epler, Edgewood, Banta, Southport,  Wicker and County Line and not only will people be still able to get to school, but for some of the routes it will be even faster. I don't see the appeal in thinking it's better to wait at a stoplight for traffic on a 55-MPH expressway as opposed to just passing over it without having to stop. This is suburbia, it's not like there's a tightly-packed street grid that's going to have this interstate plow through block after block of roads, not like what I-65 did though the city.

[vtk]

Routing an additional Interstate's traffic along I-70 through the middle of Indianapolis Interational Airport seems like a bad idea.

[US 41]

Routing an additional Interstate's traffic along I-70 through the middle of Indianapolis Interational Airport seems like a bad idea.

I don't think it would get backed up ever by the airport. The road is plenty wide enough to support it. Routing 69 through Indy on 70 may be a disaster though. Hopefully INDOT would route 69 on 465.

[lordsutch]

The airport routing to me looks like a potential stalking horse for the first leg of an outer loop, or at least a westside freeway up to I-65.

[Stephane Dumas]

The airport routing to me looks like a potential stalking horse for the first leg of an outer loop, or at least a westside freeway up to I-65.

And it could revive that idea of the outer loop rejoinning I-865 at the junction with I-65.

[silverback1065]

It would be nice if it went up 37 and continued up harding st to 70 followed 70 to the keystone exit then went onto a new terrain route that would overlay onto binford to join its current alignment

[Henry]

It would be nice if it went up 37 and continued up harding st to 70 followed 70 to the keystone exit then went onto a new terrain route that would overlay onto binford to join its current alignment

That would in effect duplicate plans for the old I-169. And while it would be nice to have another Interstate routed through town, I don't see these plans come to fruition anytime soon (although it would better explain why the exits on the existing highway now start at 200).

[thefro]

Would anyone hazard a guess as to when one might be able to travel Interstate 69 from Evansville to the Michigan State Line nonstop?

November 21, 2018

Just a wild guess, but I think you're about a year early.  Best I remember, FEIS is scheduled for spring of '18.

ROD/FEIS in spring 18 if all goes well, then they will take bids on parts of the project or do another P3.  Likely no major construction starting that year.  I'd guess they really get going on the project in 2019 (assuming they get funding done).

There's 5 stoplights in Martinsville on SR 37, and a 1-2 will need to be replaced by exits.  I think they will need an access road or two as well there.

North of Martinsville, there's stoplights at SR144, Smith Valley Road, Fairview Road,  County Line Road, Wicker Road, Southport Road, Banta Road, Epler Ave, Harding Street, and Thompson Road.  I think the original Section 6 route along SR 37 had the new terrain road for the new exit with I-465 split off right before Epler Avenue, IIRC.  You'll need the new I-69/I-465 exit complete and open and that road to connect to SR 37 before you can go stoplight-free.  I guess the good news is a lot of those roads basically end at SR 37 or have no significant development on the west side of SR 37 due to the White River.

If they split the road off and avoid Perry Township or build out to I-70 you'll have some different challenges with building a decent-sized new terrain route which would need a bridge over the White River.

Basically I wouldn't expect a 2-year build like Section 5 since there's a lot more to juggle.

[jhuntin1]

Here are the possible routes that INDOT studied, along with the most likely option that it will go up IN-37. From the Indianapolis Star: I-69 routes narrowed to 5 possibilities

[Henry]

At the very least, it should use most, if not all, of the IN 37 corridor. The routes that hook into I-70 make the least sense, as it would provide a less direct connection to the existing I-69.

[vtk]

Routing an additional Interstate's traffic along I-70 through the middle of Indianapolis Interational Airport seems like a bad idea.

I don't think it would get backed up ever by the airport. The road is plenty wide enough to support it. Routing 69 through Indy on 70 may be a disaster though. Hopefully INDOT would route 69 on 465.

Whoosh.

[Henry]

Routing an additional Interstate's traffic along I-70 through the middle of Indianapolis Interational Airport seems like a bad idea.

I don't think it would get backed up ever by the airport. The road is plenty wide enough to support it. Routing 69 through Indy on 70 may be a disaster though. Hopefully INDOT would route 69 on 465.

Whoosh.

Exactly!

[IndyAgent]

I drove from Indy to Evansville last week and as mentioned before there are signs on 37 that say Waters of US and Karst.  Does anyone know what these signs mean?

And work is nearly complete on the first section as you get a good long distance view from where 69 currently ends.

i look forward to seeing the completion percentages in a few days

[hbelkins]

I drove from Indy to Evansville last week and as mentioned before there are signs on 37 that say Waters of US and Karst.  Does anyone know what these signs mean?

It means "because environment."

[IndyAgent]

That is a vague answer...

Does it mean those areas are truly protected or is it just a political stance?

[silverback1065]

That is a vague answer...

Does it mean those areas are truly protected or is it just a political stance?

I asked my boss and he said "waters of the us" is basically any drainage area that drains into a creek that eventually goes to a major waterway. He also said that definition has changed a lot over the recent years to be more broader in scope.  And that both signs are a part of the environmental process that has to be done.  they must be labeled and avoided during construction. 

[IndyAgent]

Thank you for that detailed answer, it makes sense now

[hbelkins]

And karst is the type of terrain that involves a lot of underground limestone and sinkholes. South-central Kentucky is known for karst topography, most notably Mammoth Cave.