Indiana Notes

[jnewkirk77]

INDOT says the SR 61 Boonville Bypass will be open next month.  Not sure why that ties into the 261 intersection and not the 61 intersection with 62.  Probably property issues.

I think it had more to do with the railroad crossing being so close to 61/62, but it also didn't hurt that Warrick County was willing to offer up some existing county roads to help with the ROW.

[silverback1065]

https://www.courierpress.com/story/news/2018/07/26/draft-indot-recommendation-no-interchange-evansvilles-east-side/839580002/

Here is a story about INDOT providing a long list of excuses in order to avoid spending money to actually solve a problem. 

[Crash_It]

it makes no sense for US 20 and SR 2 swapping routes there, they should be reversed.

It does this because IN2 goes directly into SB whereas US20 bypasses it. Having IN2 end on the parkway would mean basically a road to nowhere. That whole path drags as it is, can't count how many times I've struggled staying awake driving on it. What I don't get however, is why the current IN2 ends at the interchange for the parkway instead of continuing along Western Ave into SB and ending at the intersection with business 20 or IN23. That would make more sense.

[NWI_Irish96]

it makes no sense for US 20 and SR 2 swapping routes there, they should be reversed.

It does this because IN2 goes directly into SB whereas US20 bypasses it. Having IN2 end on the parkway would mean basically a road to nowhere. That whole path drags as it is, can't count how many times I've struggled staying awake driving on it. What I don't get however, is why the current IN2 ends at the interchange for the parkway instead of continuing along Western Ave into SB and ending at the intersection with business 20 or IN23. That would make more sense.

IN 2 used to follow Western all the way to downtown, but it was turned back to the city a long time ago.  One of the first of what is now a regular practice by INDOT.

[Crash_It]

it makes no sense for US 20 and SR 2 swapping routes there, they should be reversed.

It does this because IN2 goes directly into SB whereas US20 bypasses it. Having IN2 end on the parkway would mean basically a road to nowhere. That whole path drags as it is, can't count how many times I've struggled staying awake driving on it. What I don't get however, is why the current IN2 ends at the interchange for the parkway instead of continuing along Western Ave into SB and ending at the intersection with business 20 or IN23. That would make more sense.

IN 2 used to follow Western all the way to downtown, but it was turned back to the city a long time ago.  One of the first of what is now a regular practice by INDOT.

IDOT is guilty of this too, only a handful of state routes are in the Chicago City limits and many of them are just municipal extensions (marked as a state route but maintained by the city. Examples of such are: IL64, IL19, US14 and US41. Others were decommissioned entirely (IL38 ends right before the city). This trend can also be observed in Lake County with IL120, IL132 and County Highway A22 ending right at the Waukegan City Limits. Wisconsin looks to be doing the same as well as HWY50 is planned to be turned over to the city of Kenosha east of WI31 in the next couple years. Anyway, I'm glad US20 through LaPorte County is finally getting attention, it was probably the worst stretch of pavement one could drive on.

[Revive 755]

IN 2 used to follow Western all the way to downtown, but it was turned back to the city a long time ago.  One of the first of what is now a regular practice by INDOT.

IDOT is guilty of this too, only a handful of state routes are in the Chicago City limits and many of them are just municipal extensions (marked as a state route but maintained by the city. Examples of such are: IL64, IL19, US14 and US41. Others were decommissioned entirely (IL38 ends right before the city). This trend can also be observed in Lake County with IL120, IL132 and County Highway A22 ending right at the Waukegan City Limits.

I think in IDOT's case it is worse, as for a decent number of routes the numbered route ends but the roadway continues under IDOT's maintenance and/or jurisdiction.  IL 38/Roosevelt Road, IL 58/Dempster Street, IL 21/Milwaukee Avenue, and US 34/Ogden Avenue are examples.

[silverback1065]

Us 34 ends in a weird place. Should end at us 45

[Crash_It]

Us 34 ends in a weird place. Should end at us 45

It ends at IL43 where US66 then takes over on Ogden. This is another unique IL trait where one road ends at another with the numbers changed around, For example US14 ends at US41 and IL22 starts at US41 but ends at US14.

[edwaleni]

https://www.courierpress.com/story/news/2018/07/26/draft-indot-recommendation-no-interchange-evansvilles-east-side/839580002/

Here is a story about INDOT providing a long list of excuses in order to avoid spending money to actually solve a problem.

It sounds more like an issue of priorities. The Lloyd doesn't have any high accident hot spots but serves a lot of east/west suburban traffic.

I am guessing INDOT is focused on I-69 when it comes to strategic funding in the SW.

If a study showed no chronic and immediate issues that don't sacrifice safety, then I wouldn't call that spend avoidance.

[silverback1065]

65 is back open and traffic is much better now, well normal, on 465.

[Henry]

https://www.courierpress.com/story/news/2018/07/26/draft-indot-recommendation-no-interchange-evansvilles-east-side/839580002/

Here is a story about INDOT providing a long list of excuses in order to avoid spending money to actually solve a problem.

It sounds more like an issue of priorities. The Lloyd doesn't have any high accident hot spots but serves a lot of east/west suburban traffic.

I am guessing INDOT is focused on I-69 when it comes to strategic funding in the SW.

If a study showed no chronic and immediate issues that don't sacrifice safety, then I wouldn't call that spend avoidance.

Since the routing of the I-69 bridge over the Ohio River has not been selected yet, this makes sense as a short-term solution. This will certainly change when the final routing is settled, and I-69 has a new interchange at the Lloyd. BTW, I prefer the Central Alternative over the West ones.

[tdindy88]

I do not believe there will be any new interchange between the Lloyd and I-69. The Ohio River Bridge, whichever route they decide will have no bearing on the Lloyd Expressway.

[nwi_navigator_1181]

Crews have installed a new overhead time sign on I-65 southbound just before the 61st Avenue interchange, the first for that direction of the highway in this area. When it goes live, it will give travel time to US 231 (nine miles from that point) and Indiana 2 (16 miles from that point). It has not been updated into the Trafficwise site yet. According to INDOT, the system updates should be completed within the week, which will include an updated interface and new cameras (where those new cameras will be located is yet to be determined).

I have no on the field updates at this time, but INDOT says the I-65 expansion project, as well as the Kankakee River bridge project further south, is in the wind down phase, and is still on schedule to be completed by the end of October.

EDIT: There is a lot of progress made between US 30 and US 231 (again, didn't go down to Indiana 2). Between US 30 and 109th Avenue, crews have striped the future middle and right lanes, which means a pattern shift is likely to happen soon (possibly after the Labor Day weekend). With some exceptions within the immediate area around the 109th Avenue interchange, as well as the southbound side just before US 231, the future outer shoulders are almost complete.

Resurfacing of the US 231 bridge is all but finished. Crews are removing foundation pieces from the just-finished northbound span and are completing work off the mainline. With the span completed, the split lanes are removed for northbound traffic. Operations are set to move to the 109th Avenue and Beaver Dam Ditch bridges.

Final tidbits: new to I-65 (southbound only) is a parking space counter for the next three rest areas, along with their respective distances from said sign, which is located by the 93rd Avenue overpass. It isn't live yet, but it is expected to be at the same time the new travel time sign mentioned above will go live. Also, it appears a new VMS gantry will go up just before the 101st Avenue bridge, though its purpose remains unknown (I'm curious what three major points will be used for time and distance).

[Great Lakes Roads]

On my way back from Indy, I saw these parking lots available signs and the distance for the next three rest areas... I would say that personally that is BADLY needed because sometimes, I would see trucks park on the side of the shoulder on I-65!! 

[silverback1065]

is this new widening in concrete or asphalt?

[nwi_navigator_1181]

is this new widening in concrete or asphalt?

The portion from US 30 to just south of US 231 is concrete. Then it's asphalt from that point to just south of Indiana 2.

[dvferyance]

According the Wikipedia there is a proposed I-269 in Indiana but I can't find any information about it? Can anyone confirm this? I know Wikipedia isn't the most reliable source for roads.

[silverback1065]

According the Wikipedia there is a proposed I-269 in Indiana but I can't find any information about it? Can anyone confirm this? I know Wikipedia isn't the most reliable source for roads.

Might be fake news, but it could be the Anthony Wayne Expressway, a highway that was proposed in downtown FT Wayne.

[csw]

According the Wikipedia there is a proposed I-269 in Indiana but I can't find any information about it? Can anyone confirm this? I know Wikipedia isn't the most reliable source for roads.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_69_in_Indiana#Indiana_Commerce_Connector

[Interstate 69 Fan]

According the Wikipedia there is a proposed I-269 in Indiana but I can't find any information about it? Can anyone confirm this? I know Wikipedia isn't the most reliable source for roads.

I-269, or I-470, was the original designation for the "Indiana Commerce Connector,"  an outer beltway of Indianapolis from I-70 near Mooresville to I-69 around Exit 210.

[edwaleni]

According the Wikipedia there is a proposed I-269 in Indiana but I can't find any information about it? Can anyone confirm this? I know Wikipedia isn't the most reliable source for roads.

I-269, or I-470, was the original designation for the "Indiana Commerce Connector,"  an outer beltway of Indianapolis from I-70 near Mooresville to I-69 around Exit 210.

Does anyone know if the Ronald Reagan Parkway in Hendricks County ever get more than it is?

A relative told me that the ROW is supposed to support a Super 4 from I-74 in Brownsburg to I-69 around Smith Valley. Right now it ends at IN-67 south of the airport.

[tdindy88]

There's virtually no way it can connect to future I-69 near Smith Valley Road as the highway currently is. That is a lot of land in between the two spaces and most certainly is it not reserved ROW at the moment. The city of Indianapolis is currently planning out an extension of Ameriplex Parkway (Ronald Reagan Parkway's name inside Indianapolis) to the southeast to meet up Southport Road at Mann Road. From there one can follow Southport across the White River to a future interchange with I-69. Right now it looks as if the planned corridor would be four-lane to Mann Road but the stretch of Southport is currently only two lanes and would need a new bridge across the river to make it four-lanes to I-69. In any case a new four-lane bridge across the river would have to be built if the roadway were to ever connect with I-69 in any way.

[gilpdawg]

On my way back from Indy, I saw these parking lots available signs and the distance for the next three rest areas... I would say that personally that is BADLY needed because sometimes, I would see trucks park on the side of the shoulder on I-65!! 

There's one of these on 70 WB near Richmond as well. Not active yet.

[edwaleni]

There's virtually no way it can connect to future I-69 near Smith Valley Road as the highway currently is. That is a lot of land in between the two spaces and most certainly is it not reserved ROW at the moment. The city of Indianapolis is currently planning out an extension of Ameriplex Parkway (Ronald Reagan Parkway's name inside Indianapolis) to the southeast to meet up Southport Road at Mann Road. From there one can follow Southport across the White River to a future interchange with I-69. Right now it looks as if the planned corridor would be four-lane to Mann Road but the stretch of Southport is currently only two lanes and would need a new bridge across the river to make it four-lanes to I-69. In any case a new four-lane bridge across the river would have to be built if the roadway were to ever connect with I-69 in any way.

I think you mean this?

http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPW/RebuildIndy/Projects/Documents/Ameriplex%20Extension%20Public%20Meeting%20Handouts%205-11-17.pdf

[edwaleni]

There's virtually no way it can connect to future I-69 near Smith Valley Road as the highway currently is. That is a lot of land in between the two spaces and most certainly is it not reserved ROW at the moment. The city of Indianapolis is currently planning out an extension of Ameriplex Parkway (Ronald Reagan Parkway's name inside Indianapolis) to the southeast to meet up Southport Road at Mann Road. From there one can follow Southport across the White River to a future interchange with I-69. Right now it looks as if the planned corridor would be four-lane to Mann Road but the stretch of Southport is currently only two lanes and would need a new bridge across the river to make it four-lanes to I-69. In any case a new four-lane bridge across the river would have to be built if the roadway were to ever connect with I-69 in any way.

I think you mean this?

http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPW/RebuildIndy/Projects/Documents/Ameriplex%20Extension%20Public%20Meeting%20Handouts%205-11-17.pdf

I just checked and INDOT is going to take the Ronald Reagan Parkway all the way to I-65 in 2020. 

All the way to either Whitestown Parkway, or to the IN-267 exit with I-65 where the Amazon Center is.

Maybe this is where I got my story wrong, he might have said I-65, not I-69.  Still, I didn't realize INDOT was going to take it that far.

http://www.brownsburg.org/egov/documents/1370357017_461242.pdf