Indiana Notes

[nwi_navigator_1181]

Notes from Rolling Prairie:

New overhead signs are up for the soon-to-be-completed dogbone interchange at US 20 and Indiana 2. These signs (for the through road underpass) give control cities to the through routes (South Bend for Indiana 2 East, and Michigan City for US 20 West), but none for the ramps. There will likely be supplemental signs on the approaches to the roundabout to fill in those blanks (likely for New Carlisle and Laporte).

Beam installation for the new bridge will begin next week, with periodic rolling closures scheduled. The overall project is still on target for end-of-November completion.

Another related project is scheduled to begin next year. Residents from the area have concerns about traffic from New Prairie High School attempting to turn onto Indiana 2 from Cougar Road, since they're entering onto a high-speed divided highway with poor sight lines. INDOT's plan is to make Cougar Road from Indiana 2 to the school a northbound one-way street, becoming a two-way street from the school northward. Included with this plan will be a traffic light at US 20. The aim is to funnel a large portion of local traffic - especially those looking to access the divided highway portion of Indiana 2 - toward the new interchange to reduce conflict points.

[silverback1065]

https://wsbt.com/news/local/indot-considers-replacing-us-30-through-warsaw-with-limited-access-highway

US 30 in Warsaw to get some minor safety improvements, maybe...

[Finrod]

https://wsbt.com/news/local/indot-considers-replacing-us-30-through-warsaw-with-limited-access-highway

US 30 in Warsaw to get some minor safety improvements, maybe...

They should have built it as limited access in the first place.  Indiana keeps building these new divided highways around cities without ever thinking about making them controlled-access-- and then when they become overgrown and the intersections become dangerous, they have to build a whole new one, like they did with Kokomo.  They did the same foolish thing with US 24/SR 25.

[thefarmerchris]

https://wsbt.com/news/local/indot-considers-replacing-us-30-through-warsaw-with-limited-access-highway

US 30 in Warsaw to get some minor safety improvements, maybe...

They should have built it as limited access in the first place.  Indiana keeps building these new divided highways around cities without ever thinking about making them controlled-access-- and then when they become overgrown and the intersections become dangerous, they have to build a whole new one, like they did with Kokomo.  They did the same foolish thing with US 24/SR 25.

There is enough ROW along US30 for freeway style improvements. Here's hoping INDOT doesn't screw this one up. It should've have been built to freeway standards years ago.

[silverback1065]

Indot always makes up excuses like "we're saving taxpayers money" are you? Years down the road you have to do it right with a expensive freeway bypass! They're doing it now on the Lloyd...

[Life in Paradise]

Indot always makes up excuses like "we're saving taxpayers money" are you? Years down the road you have to do it right with a expensive freeway bypass! They're doing it now on the Lloyd...

Yep.  There is nothing like redoing an intersection over, and over, and over again when the uneducated could have told them what was needed when they first proposed the road.

[mgk920]

And US 30 is STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOP the whole way across the state between Valparaiso and Fort Wayne. Ãœber-annoying does not even begin to describe it.  IMHO, it is an inexcusable situation for such a major highway.



Mike

[thefarmerchris]

And US 30 is STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOP the whole way across the state between Valparaiso and Fort Wayne. Ãœber-annoying does not even begin to describe it.  IMHO, it is an inexcusable situation for such a major highway.



Mike

I couldn't agree more. Especially between Warsaw and I-69.

[paulthemapguy]

And US 30 is STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOP the whole way across the state between Valparaiso and Fort Wayne. Ãœber-annoying does not even begin to describe it.  IMHO, it is an inexcusable situation for such a major highway.



Mike

It would be great if Indiana knew ANYTHING about prioritizing signal timings for major approaches over those for minor approaches.  In most states, I call signals "signals;" but in Indiana, I call them "stoplights," because I swear every signal in Indiana is designed to get you to stop, rather than facilitate traffic movement.

[SSR_317]

No rail will happen, BRT is what is going to happen. Blue and purple line are the next two Indy go lines to be built. Until the suburbs get their heads out of their asses none of these routes will leave Marion county. Plainfield and Carmel are interested.

Purple Line will precede Blue Line, and both have been postponed a year from previous schedule (2021 to 2022 for Purple & 2022 to 2023 for Blue). None of these IndyGo BRT projects helps us here in the NE part of the metro one bit, but at least we're making progress as a city, if not as a region. I agree that extension of the Red Line out to Greenwood and to Carmel/Westfield both appear to be years away. And while extending BRT stations out to both Marion county lines has been funded, these Phase 2a (north)  & Phase 3a (south) projects have not yet been given estimated construction or completion dates (at least as far as I can find). Now that it's running, every other Red Line vehicle will continue on past the final existing station to the city-county borders as an interim stop-gap, but operate as "traditional local service" (stopping at all existing ground-level bus stops and without benefit of BRT features such as Traffic Signal Priority & exclusive lanes).

So don't look for mass transit to assist very much in the upcoming & near-future reconstruction of Indy's freeway system.

[silverback1065]

No rail will happen, BRT is what is going to happen. Blue and purple line are the next two Indy go lines to be built. Until the suburbs get their heads out of their asses none of these routes will leave Marion county. Plainfield and Carmel are interested.

Purple Line will precede Blue Line, and both have been postponed a year from previous schedule (2021 to 2022 for Purple & 2022 to 2023 for Blue). None of these IndyGo BRT projects helps us here in the NE part of the metro one bit, but at least we're making progress as a city, if not as a region. I agree that extension of the Red Line out to Greenwood and to Carmel/Westfield both appear to be years away. And while extending BRT stations out to both Marion county lines has been funded, these Phase 2a (north)  & Phase 3a (south) projects have not yet been given estimated construction or completion dates (at least as far as I can find). Now that it's running, every other Red Line vehicle will continue on past the final existing station to the city-county borders as an interim stop-gap, but operate as "traditional local service" (stopping at all existing ground-level bus stops and without benefit of BRT features such as Traffic Signal Priority & exclusive lanes).

So don't look for mass transit to assist very much in the upcoming & near-future reconstruction of Indy's freeway system.

So far the red line appears to be a success.  Very happy to see indy finally getting on the mass transit program in a big way.

Future projects in the metro area:

SR 37 Fishers Begins 8/2019
465/69 NE side 2023ish
465 86th to US 31 2024ish
465/69 Southside interchange 2021ish
North Split 2020 fall or early 2021
465 southside widening from 70 to US 31 2021ish
65 whitestown 2021ish

Basically the next 5 years down here are going to be fun  but it's for the best.  north split is going to be the worst from a traffic standpoint. Basically all the usual bottlenecks will be removed! interesting fact i learned: the daily backup of 65 from 21st st to the north split is caused by people trying to get from the delaware on ramp to 70 east.  the north split project removes this issue completely. 

[silverback1065]

I have obtained some maps of the proposed I-165, very interesting plans they had for that route, if i can figure it out, i will post some pictures.  if not i will just describe the exits. 

[sprjus4]

I have obtained some maps of the proposed I-165, very interesting plans they had for that route, if i can figure it out, i will post some pictures.  if not i will just describe the exits.

If you have digital photo copies, I'd recommend uploading them to - https://imgbb.com/

To link them here, click on the dropdown for "Embed codes" and click on "BBCode full".

Then copy that code and paste it on the textbox here. It should appear once you post it.

I've used it for quite some time now and haven't had any issues, as long as the files aren't huge. If they are, it might be more complicated.

[silverback1065]

Ok I will try that. The maps are horrible quality. It's the original unfinished eis (environmental impact study) done for the project.  Most interesting area is 38th to 46th st. It's phone book thick so it will take some time to go through.

[sprjus4]

There is enough ROW along US30 for freeway style improvements. Here's hoping INDOT doesn't screw this one up. It should've have been built to freeway standards years ago.

Based on the article...

But INDOT does plan to limit some access to the highway, by eliminating as many traffic lights as possible. That includes creating through-lanes for some side streets.

"It could also include some reduced conflict intersections. Reduced conflict intersections are similar to u-turns and it could also include some interchanges,"  said Thomas.

It sounds like it'd just create an "expressway" rather than a full freeway. An expressway is where you can travel uninterrupted (i.e. no stop lights) but it isn't a full freeway. There's still RCI's, private connections, etc.

It'd still be a major improvement over the current situation.

Indiana keeps building these new divided highways around cities without ever thinking about making them controlled-access-- and then when they become overgrown and the intersections become dangerous, they have to build a whole new one, like they did with Kokomo.  They did the same foolish thing with US 24/SR 25.

I wouldn't say they -keep-. Judging how the Kokomo bypass was done, it seems new projects for bypasses will include full control of access. It's certainly a mistake they made in the past, but they don't appear to do it anymore.

[sprjus4]

Ok I will try that. The maps are horrible quality. It's the original unfinished eis (environmental impact study) done for the project.  Most interesting area is 38th to 46th st. It's phone book thick so it will take some time to go through.

Was it an online URL, PDF, Google Books...? Or was it a paper copy?

[silverback1065]

Ok I will try that. The maps are horrible quality. It's the original unfinished eis (environmental impact study) done for the project.  Most interesting area is 38th to 46th st. It's phone book thick so it will take some time to go through.

Was it an online URL, PDF, Google Books...? Or was it a paper copy?

physical.

[sprjus4]

Indot always makes up excuses like "we're saving taxpayers money" are you?

To be fair, they also did just build a 100 mile long freeway between I-64 and Bloomington, and have and still are upgraded 45 miles of SR-37 to interstate standards, all in the last 10 years. Something I haven't seen from any state in the past 3 decades. At least $5 billion worth of taxpayer dollar.

But then again, didn't they also borrow funding from the Indiana Toll Road IIRC?

physical.

My recommendation would be to take a picture, in the best quality you can of it, then upload directly to the IMGBB website from your phone and post it here from your phone. It's worked for me before, at least on iPhone.

[ibthebigd]

I still wish they would try commuter trains on Nickle Plate instead of the rail to trail.

SM-G950U

[silverback1065]

I still wish they would try commuter trains on Nickle Plate instead of the rail to trail.

SM-G950U

It's fishers fault. They're desperate for their own monon trail.

[Revive 755]

So why is access to Southeastern Avenue blocked from westbound I-74 at the eastern I-465 interchange?  Is INDOT trying to make congestion worse by taking out detour options?

They are certainly doing a good job of making the Indianapolis area painful with the I-465 closure, work on the northwestern part of I-465, miserably congested work on I-65 near 38th Street, and work on I-865 (with a possible closure based on a message board) at the same time.

[silverback1065]

So why is access to Southeastern Avenue blocked from westbound I-74 at the eastern I-465 interchange?  Is INDOT trying to make congestion worse by taking out detour options?

They are certainly doing a good job of making the Indianapolis area painful with the I-465 closure, work on the northwestern part of I-465, miserably congested work on I-65 near 38th Street, and work on I-865 (with a possible closure based on a message board) at the same time.

I just totaled my car thanks to the closure. but seriously INDOT needs to stop closing everything, they got this bright idea a few years ago and now think it's the end all be all.  i think the most annoying was when they closed the other direction and came up with the bright idea to close the left lane on the flyover from 70 eb to 465 nb. i wonder how many more crashes are happening due to these closures.

[sprjus4]

So why is access to Southeastern Avenue blocked from westbound I-74 at the eastern I-465 interchange?  Is INDOT trying to make congestion worse by taking out detour options?

They are certainly doing a good job of making the Indianapolis area painful with the I-465 closure, work on the northwestern part of I-465, miserably congested work on I-65 near 38th Street, and work on I-865 (with a possible closure based on a message board) at the same time.

I just totaled my car thanks to the closure. but seriously INDOT needs to stop closing everything, they got this bright idea a few years ago and now think it's the end all be all.  i think the most annoying was when they closed the other direction and came up with the bright idea to close the left lane on the flyover from 70 eb to 465 nb. i wonder how many more crashes are happening due to these closures.

Aren't they also going to be closing SR-37 due to the upgrade to I-69?

[silverback1065]

So why is access to Southeastern Avenue blocked from westbound I-74 at the eastern I-465 interchange?  Is INDOT trying to make congestion worse by taking out detour options?

They are certainly doing a good job of making the Indianapolis area painful with the I-465 closure, work on the northwestern part of I-465, miserably congested work on I-65 near 38th Street, and work on I-865 (with a possible closure based on a message board) at the same time.

I just totaled my car thanks to the closure. but seriously INDOT needs to stop closing everything, they got this bright idea a few years ago and now think it's the end all be all.  i think the most annoying was when they closed the other direction and came up with the bright idea to close the left lane on the flyover from 70 eb to 465 nb. i wonder how many more crashes are happening due to these closures.

Aren't they also going to be closing SR-37 due to the upgrade to I-69?

Yes but that's more justifiable imo. Much smaller city, way less traffic, better alternative routes.

[Interstate 69 Fan]

So why is access to Southeastern Avenue blocked from westbound I-74 at the eastern I-465 interchange?  Is INDOT trying to make congestion worse by taking out detour options?

They are certainly doing a good job of making the Indianapolis area painful with the I-465 closure, work on the northwestern part of I-465, miserably congested work on I-65 near 38th Street, and work on I-865 (with a possible closure based on a message board) at the same time.

I just totaled my car thanks to the closure. but seriously INDOT needs to stop closing everything, they got this bright idea a few years ago and now think it's the end all be all.  i think the most annoying was when they closed the other direction and came up with the bright idea to close the left lane on the flyover from 70 eb to 465 nb. i wonder how many more crashes are happening due to these closures.

Aren't they also going to be closing SR-37 due to the upgrade to I-69?

Yes but that's more justifiable imo. Much smaller city, way less traffic, better alternative routes.

SR 67 northeast of Mooresville is way to packed already Pre-37 detour. Putting the detour on this road was a mistake in my book.