More US 31 upgrades between Indy and South Bend

[tdindy88]

Oh it should be just another year or so until they finally get around to planning the rest of US 31 up to Kokomo. They're just "studying" it until they somehow find the money to build the exit at Division Road. Considering that INDOT was already thinking of building that exit if Tipton County took over one of their state highways (which they didn't) the movement is there to complete the corridor.

[I-39]

Oh it should be just another year or so until they finally get around to planning the rest of US 31 up to Kokomo. They're just "studying" it until they somehow find the money to build the exit at Division Road. Considering that INDOT was already thinking of building that exit if Tipton County took over one of their state highways (which they didn't) the movement is there to complete the corridor.

I'll believe it when I see it.

[SSR_317]

INDOT wants to widen it to 6 lanes throughout the whole state. 65 and 70 are the only 2 that they plan on doing this to (80, 90, and 94 I am not counting on this list) 74 and 69 will never likely need that kind of widening.

I respectfully disagree with the opinion you express in the second sentence.

I-69 (Classic) between Anderson and Fort Wayne certainly needs to be 6 lanes wide, as soon as possible, though finishing the statewide 6-laning of I-65 and I-70 should rightfully take precedence. North of the Summit City, it MIGHT need an extension of the existing 6-lane segment, at least as far as Auburn. "New" I-69 (southern IN) will likely never need 6-laning (or at least not for several decades), beyond what is already planned for the south side of Indy.

As for I-74, it might need full 6-laning between Indy & Ohio (Cincy) at some point in the future, though not in the near-term.

But to bring this back on topic, yes, I am of the opinion that US 31 needs to be built, as a FULL FREEWAY (and designated as I-67) all the way from Carmel to Michigan, and this should be done ASAP. It is the "missing link" in Indiana's freeway system, now that I-69 is about to be completed to KY.

[mukade]

INDOT wants to widen it to 6 lanes throughout the whole state. 65 and 70 are the only 2 that they plan on doing this to (80, 90, and 94 I am not counting on this list) 74 and 69 will never likely need that kind of widening.

I respectfully disagree with the opinion you express in the second sentence.

I-69 (Classic) between Anderson and Fort Wayne certainly needs to be 6 lanes wide, as soon as possible, though finishing the statewide 6-laning of I-65 and I-70 should rightfully take precedence. North of the Summit City, it MIGHT need an extension of the existing 6-lane segment, at least as far as Auburn. "New" I-69 (southern IN) will likely never need 6-laning (or at least not for several decades), beyond what is already planned for the south side of Indy.

Rather than saying I-65 and I-70 should get widened to 6 lanes before any other freeways, I would prioritize by traffic volume - and what the busiest sections are might surprise you. The top 15 busiest 4 lane sections include five on I-265, three on I-69 and one on I-74 as shown in the top 25 table below.

Rank	Location	AADT
1	I-265 between Grant Line Rd and Charlestown Rd	63,118
2	I-265 between I-64 and State St (New Albany)	61,532
3	I-265 between Charlestown Rd and I-65 (Clarksville)	59,997
4	I-265 between State St and Grant Line Rd (New Albany)	56,431
5	I-70 between SR 39 and SR 267  (Plainfield-Monrovia)	48,934
6	SR-265 between I-65 and SR 62 (Jeffersonville)	47,876
7	I-65 between 71st St and I-465 (Indianapolis)	46,632
8	I-65 between SR 252 and SR 44	44,992
9	I-65 between US 31 and SR 252	43,614
10	I-69 between SR 1 and Union Chapel (Fort Wayne)	43,004
11	I-65 between Memphis and SR 160	42,003
12	I-69 between SR 9/SR 109 and Daleville	41,701
13	I-65 between SR 10 and SR 2	39,527
14	I-74 between Post Rd and I-465 (Indianapolis)	39,089
15	I-69 between Airport Expy and Jefferson St. (Fort Wayne)	38,921
16	I-65 between SR 47 and SR 28	38,787
17	I-70 between SR 46 and US 41 (Terre Haute)	38,655
18	I-70 between SR 109 and SR 3	37,989
19	I-65 between SR 28 and SR 38	37,885
20	I-70 between Centerville exit and US 35	37,661
21	I-70 between SR 9 and SR 109	37,584
22	I-65 between SR 160 and US 31	37,384
23	I-70 between US 27 and SR 227 (Richmond)	37,332
24	I-70 between US 231 and SR 39	36,650
25	I-65 between SR 114 and SR 14	36,441

(I did not see a traffic count from I-865 to 71st St)

I-64 between SR 64 and I-265 is three lanes westbound and two lanes eastbound (assuming Google Maps is current). The section from US 150 to I-265 carries a volume of 66,571 (which would rank it #1) and the section from SR 64 to US 150 carries a volume of 39,059.

On the comment on the need for 6 lanes on the extension of I-69, remember that through Bloomington it already has six lanes.

As for I-74, it might need full 6-laning between Indy & Ohio (Cincy) at some point in the future, though not in the near-term.

Actually, the traffic volume is pretty low on I-74.

But to bring this back on topic, yes, I am of the opinion that US 31 needs to be built, as a FULL FREEWAY (and designated as I-67) all the way from Carmel to Michigan, and this should be done ASAP. It is the "missing link" in Indiana's freeway system, now that I-69 is about to be completed to KY.

I am a proponent of the US 31 (I-67) freeway, but the traffic volume on US 31 is a lot lower than these Interstate sections I documented.  Given a finite amount of funding and a lot of highway improvement needs, I think only making incremental improvements on US 31 in Tipton County plus building the previously announced interchanges between Galveston and Argos probably make the most sense.

[NWI_Irish96]

I used to live right off I-265 and yes, they're very busy, but they're very short, and not with nearly the number of trucks as I-65.

The I-69 sections near the top of the list are short as well.

In terms of mileage, the biggest need are those segments on 65 and 70.

[mukade]

I-69 from Anderson to Daleville is 8 miles. The other two I-69 sections are short, but all three would extend current 6 lane sections.

I-265/SR 265, as a whole, is 10 miles.  I am guessing that the tolling of the bridges in Louisville may have increased traffic on I-265 and on the the I-64 Sherman Minton Bridge over the Ohio River - just a theory. Nonetheless, that is a significant difference in volume over the next sections.

I actually I forgot to include I-469 and Cline Avenue (SR 912) in the list.

• I-469 between Maplecrest Ave. and I-69: 47,978
• SR 912 between 165th St. and the Borman: 56,095  (making it #5)
• SR 912 between US 20 and 165th St.: 49,298
• SR 912 between the Toll Road interchange and US 20: 39,322

Cline Avenue would be a very expensive upgrade.

[sprjus4]

Rather than saying I-65 and I-70 should get widened to 6 lanes before any other freeways, I would prioritize by traffic volume - and what the busiest sections are might surprise you. The top 15 busiest 4 lane sections include five on I-265, three on I-69 and one on I-74 as shown in the top 25 table below.

One thing this fails to look at, as well, is the truck percentages on each segment, as well as length and urban vs. rural.

A long distance, rural highway with high truck volumes with lower AADT overall is still going to have more demand for a 6 lane widening project than a local, urban highway with low truck volumes with a somewhat higher AADT.

[silverback1065]

I-69 from Anderson to Daleville is 8 miles. The other two I-69 sections are short, but all three would extend current 6 lane sections.

I-265/SR 265, as a whole, is 10 miles.  I am guessing that the tolling of the bridges in Louisville may have increased traffic on I-265 and on the the I-64 Sherman Minton Bridge over the Ohio River - just a theory. Nonetheless, that is a significant difference in volume over the next sections.

I actually I forgot to include I-469 and Cline Avenue (SR 912) in the list.

• I-469 between Maplecrest Ave. and I-69: 47,978
• SR 912 between 165th St. and the Borman: 56,095  (making it #5)
• SR 912 between US 20 and 165th St.: 49,298
• SR 912 between the Toll Road interchange and US 20: 39,322

Cline Avenue would be a very expensive upgrade.

With cline ave being a 9 series route I doubt indot cares about it. They probably forgot they own it

[mukade]

It was built as a 9xx in the 1960s and did not replace an old alignment of US 12 unlike the recent 9xx routes.

[mukade]

Rather than saying I-65 and I-70 should get widened to 6 lanes before any other freeways, I would prioritize by traffic volume - and what the busiest sections are might surprise you. The top 15 busiest 4 lane sections include five on I-265, three on I-69 and one on I-74 as shown in the top 25 table below.

One thing this fails to look at, as well, is the truck percentages on each segment, as well as length and urban vs. rural.

A long distance, rural highway with high truck volumes with lower AADT overall is still going to have more demand for a 6 lane widening project than a local, urban highway with low truck volumes with a somewhat higher AADT.

Yes, but I-69 (classic) also definitely has very heavy truck traffic. I-74 a little bit less so, but Indiana is a manufacturing state so truck volume applies to all intercity highways other than the I-69 extension. I haven't driven I-265 during rush hour so I can't comment, but Cline Avenue has a lot of trucks from the steel mills and is not fun to drive.

[NWI_Irish96]

I-69 from Anderson to Daleville is 8 miles. The other two I-69 sections are short, but all three would extend current 6 lane sections.

I-265/SR 265, as a whole, is 10 miles.  I am guessing that the tolling of the bridges in Louisville may have increased traffic on I-265 and on the the I-64 Sherman Minton Bridge over the Ohio River - just a theory. Nonetheless, that is a significant difference in volume over the next sections.

I actually I forgot to include I-469 and Cline Avenue (SR 912) in the list.

• I-469 between Maplecrest Ave. and I-69: 47,978
• SR 912 between 165th St. and the Borman: 56,095  (making it #5)
• SR 912 between US 20 and 165th St.: 49,298
• SR 912 between the Toll Road interchange and US 20: 39,322

Cline Avenue would be a very expensive upgrade.

With cline ave being a 9 series route I doubt indot cares about it. They probably forgot they own it

They don't own the bridge. The new bridge was built as a private company, and it's only 2 lanes.

[I-39]

The priority for six laning needs to be I-65. It is arguably the most important Interstate in the state as it connects the Chicagoland area, a major transportation hub, with the Southeastern US. Kentucky has already six laned their entire portion of the highway and Tennessee is now beginning to fill the gap to Nashville.

[Buck87]

The priority for six laning needs to be I-65. It is arguably the most important Interstate in the state as it connects the Chicagoland area, a major transportation hub, with the Southeastern US. Kentucky has already six laned their entire portion of the highway and Tennessee is now beginning to fill the gap to Nashville.

How much of it is left to do?

[ilpt4u]

The priority for six laning needs to be I-65. It is arguably the most important Interstate in the state as it connects the Chicagoland area, a major transportation hub, with the Southeastern US. Kentucky has already six laned their entire portion of the highway and Tennessee is now beginning to fill the gap to Nashville.

Its too bad that US 41 will almost certainly never be upgraded to I-41 in Indiana. The US 41 corridor would be the more "ideal"  Chicago-Nashville Interstate routing. The I-65 route has more urban choke points, and the I-57/24 route is a little more out of the way (not too much, tho)

Almost certainly not worth the $$$Billions investment to make I-41 as the "I-57" -style Indy/Louisville bypass for Chicago<->Nashville traffic

[NWI_Irish96]

The priority for six laning needs to be I-65. It is arguably the most important Interstate in the state as it connects the Chicagoland area, a major transportation hub, with the Southeastern US. Kentucky has already six laned their entire portion of the highway and Tennessee is now beginning to fill the gap to Nashville.

How much of it is left to do?

Memphis-Seymour 31 miles
Walesboro-Franklin 26 miles
Pike Twp-Zionsville 6 miles
Lebanon-Throntown 5 miles (in progress)
Thorntown-Dayton 23 miles
Lafayette-West Lafayette 3 miles (in progress)
West Lafayette-Lowell 62 miles

So a total of 156 miles with 8 of those miles in progress.

[NWI_Irish96]

The priority for six laning needs to be I-65. It is arguably the most important Interstate in the state as it connects the Chicagoland area, a major transportation hub, with the Southeastern US. Kentucky has already six laned their entire portion of the highway and Tennessee is now beginning to fill the gap to Nashville.

Its too bad that US 41 will almost certainly never be upgraded to I-41 in Indiana. The US 41 corridor would be the more "ideal"  Chicago-Nashville Interstate routing. The I-65 route has more urban choke points, and the I-57/24 route is a little more out of the way (not too much, tho)

Almost certainly not worth the $$$Billions investment to make I-41 as the "I-57" -style Indy/Louisville bypass for Chicago<->Nashville traffic

So I've driven US 41/IN63 quite a bit as a part of road-clinching trips. The section from IN 2 up to I-80/94 and the section around Terre Haute could use an upgrade, but the rest of it is fine as a 4 lane divided highway with minimal stop lights.

[mukade]

How much of it is left to do?

Memphis-Seymour 31 miles
Walesboro-Franklin 26 miles
Pike Twp-Zionsville 6 miles
Lebanon-Throntown 5 miles (in progress)
Thorntown-Dayton 23 miles
Lafayette-West Lafayette 3 miles (in progress)
West Lafayette-Lowell 62 miles

So a total of 156 miles with 8 of those miles in progress.

SR 58 at Walesboro to US 31 at Taylorsville/Edinburgh is also under construction

The priority for six laning needs to be I-65. It is arguably the most important Interstate in the state as it connects the Chicagoland area, a major transportation hub, with the Southeastern US. Kentucky has already six laned their entire portion of the highway and Tennessee is now beginning to fill the gap to Nashville.

I disagree. INDOT has already completed  four sections on I-69 (two in Fort Wayne and two from Fishers to Anderson), and one section of I-70 from Mt. Comfort Rd to SR 9 is currently under construction. Building the areas with the greatest need beats widening one highway.

[NWI_Irish96]

I would argue that the entirety of I-65 is the area of greatest need. I get stuck behind trucks in the left lane on I-65 on a regular basis. It almost never happens on I-69 or I-70.

[mukade]

That is anecdotal. I drove down to Louisville in September, and it was smooth sailing the entire way. Granted, other times have been less than ideal, but it is not always bad. I can remember some of the worst drives with respect to getting stuck behind trucks have been on I-70 between Richmond and Greenfield. I-70 has hills as well, and that exacerbates the problem.

When my daughter lived in Fort Wayne, I can remember several very frustrating and exhausting drives on I-69. I think the traffic volume numbers speak for themselves. I am glad that INDOT has spread the wealth, at least to some extent, so far.

[tdindy88]

SR 58 at Walesboro to US 31 at Taylorsville/Edinburgh is also under construction

Well, only I-65 from SR 58 to SR 46 in Columbus. I've seen nothing about any planned widening of I-65 up to US 31 in Taylorsville. There aren't even any plans for the I-65 overpass over SR 46 which may be a unique undertaking. Though I'd be happy to see it, the rest of I-65 from SR 46 to SR 44 should be done as soon as possible.

[silverback1065]

i bet 46 will be the last piece, that bridge has got to be expensive to widen!

[mukade]

SR 58 at Walesboro to US 31 at Taylorsville/Edinburgh is also under construction

Well, only I-65 from SR 58 to SR 46 in Columbus. I've seen nothing about any planned widening of I-65 up to US 31 in Taylorsville. There aren't even any plans for the I-65 overpass over SR 46 which may be a unique undertaking. Though I'd be happy to see it, the rest of I-65 from SR 46 to SR 44 should be done as soon as possible.

Yes, it is SR 58 to SR 46 that is being widened - not to US 31. The work from SR 46 to US 31 is just "resurfacing all travel lanes to the north from the Driftwood River Bridge near Columbus to U.S. 31 at Taylorsville".

http://tribtown.com/2021/03/15/i65_lanes_to_close_for_road_work/ has this additional information about future projects that is somewhat interesting (italics and bold are mine):

I-70/I-65 INDOT construction projects scheduled over the next 5 years:

• I-70 from Mt. Comfort Road to SR 9 Greenfield
• I-65 from US 52/SR 32 Lebanon to SR 47
• I-65 from SR 58 to SR 46 Columbus
• I-65/I-70 North Split interchange overhaul in downtown Indy
• I-65 from Exit #16 (Memphis Road/Blue Lick Road) to SR 56 Scottsburg
• I-65 from Wabash River near Lafayette to SR 43
• I-70 from SR 267 Plainfield to Ameriplex Parkway/Reagan Parkway (in active construction)
• I-70 from SR 1 Cambridge City to US 35 Richmond
• I-65 from US 50 Seymour to SR 58 (in active construction)

This article is written from a Terre Haute perspective. It indicates that most are future projects, but obviously, some are currently underway.

Another article: https://benefits.transportation.org/heavy-haul-transportation-corridor-expansion-in-clark-county/ shows a project underway in Clark County that would seem to indicate truck traffic will increase on I-265 - at least to some extent. So as the traffic volume numbers would also indicate, I wouldn't write off the need on widening that highway. I actually remember the last time I drove I-265, traffic was backed up for at least half a mile approaching I-64. So again, I think the "widen I-65 or bust" attitude isn't the best strategy unless you're a Chicagoland or Wisconsin driver headed south.

[Terry Shea]

Sure would be nice to find posts in this forum that stay on topic.

[bmeiser]

Sure would be nice to find posts in this forum that stay on topic.

I'm a member of other forums where you'll get temporarily banned (after proper warning) for going off topic. Definitely not the case here.

[westerninterloper]

Sure would be nice to find posts in this forum that stay on topic.

I'm a member of other forums where you'll get temporarily banned (after proper warning) for going off topic. Definitely not the case here.

At least the topic is about highway upgrades in Indiana...not like it's about frozen corn or intergalactic communication.