Indiana Notes

[silverback1065]

it seems pretty clear that the indy to louisville route will be done first. not many gaps left compared to indy to chicago.

[nwi_navigator_1181]

One last round: concrete restoration on I-65 is in its final phase, as work to finish the right lanes and the outer shoulder is in progress from US 30 to US 231. This phase is set to end mid-April and will conclude the concrete restoration project that has lasted four years. No more work is needed on I-80/94.

EDIT: because of the road work on I-65, the ramps from US 30 east and west to I-65 south are closed, as well as the northbound exit to US 30. No other closures are in place. Official detour requires US 30, Indiana 53, and US 231, though passenger cars can use 109th Avenue.

Two major resurfacing projects are set to begin on US 30 and Indiana 2. On US 30, work will take place from Taft Street (Indiana 55) to just west of Ripley Street (Indiana 51). Part one will take place from Indiana 55 to I-65, lasting until mid-May. Part two will start right after, going from Mississippi Street to Indiana 51. All lane closures will be during the overnight hours.

On Indiana 2, work will take place between the US 20 interchange and Laporte-St. Joseph County Line Road.

In both projects, work will include patching, milling, resurfacing, and (for US 30) traffic signal loops. Shoulder closures will also be in place for improved drainage. Both projects are scheduled for completion in November.

The south split intersection of US 6 and US 421 in Westville will be closed April 1 for roundabout conversion. The project is scheduled for completion in late September. The official detour calls for traffic to use Indiana 2, Indiana 49, US 30, and Indiana 39 (the latter route for US 6 traffic).

[Great Lakes Roads]

The south split intersection of US 6 and US 421 in Westville will be closed April 1 for roundabout conversion. The project is scheduled for completion in late September. The official detour calls for traffic to use Indiana 2, Indiana 49, US 30, and Indiana 39 (the latter route for US 6 traffic).

People on the INDOT Northwest's Facebook page are bickering about the roundabout's location and the long detour around the construction site... There was also a comment on who is contracted to do the work (Rieth-Riley), and it's hilarious to read the comments on the said post! 

[nwi_navigator_1181]

The south split intersection of US 6 and US 421 in Westville will be closed April 1 for roundabout conversion. The project is scheduled for completion in late September. The official detour calls for traffic to use Indiana 2, Indiana 49, US 30, and Indiana 39 (the latter route for US 6 traffic).

People on the INDOT Northwest's Facebook page are bickering about the roundabout's location and the long detour around the construction site... There was also a comment on who is contracted to do the work (Rieth-Riley), and it's hilarious to read the comments on the said post! 

I feel so bad for the person (or people) charged with running that page. Every time they announce something or talk about something non-construction related, the same usual sweats come on and bicker, along with many others who have no idea how construction works. I mean, a little research would help them realize these detours are designed to primarily guide truck traffic. Anyone who's a passenger car driver can find local workarounds.

Their mindset basically is "Fix your roads...but not like THAT." Sometimes, I think social media was a mistake.

[JREwing78]

Sometimes, I think social media was a mistake.

It's certainly given folks with no knowledge the impression that they can have an intelligent conversation like experts.

Except, they're too ignorant to realize their ignorance.

[nwi_navigator_1181]

Sometimes, I think social media was a mistake.

It's certainly given folks with no knowledge the impression that they can have an intelligent conversation like experts.

Except, they're too ignorant to realize their ignorance.

Absolutely spot on.

[silverback1065]

Sometimes, I think social media was a mistake.

It's certainly given folks with no knowledge the impression that they can have an intelligent conversation like experts.

Except, they're too ignorant to realize their ignorance.

you could say that about politicians too 

[Plutonic Panda]

Sometimes, I think social media was a mistake.

The constitution isn't perfect but I agree with most of it and think it's a pretty damn good rule of law. The first amendment is no exception but I have never been so conflicted on an issue like free speech given the way social media and online anonymity is used and how it can be abused.

[ITB]

In letting news, INDOT has rescheduled the letting of the first contract (R-43375) of its Revive I-70 program. This is the project to improve and add lanes to I-70 in Wayne County. The contract was originally planned to be let today, March 27, but is now scheduled for April 17th.

The letting of the contract to improve and add lanes to I-65 in Scott County is back on INDOT's 18 month letting list. The contract (R-41529) is now scheduled to be let March 12, 2025. This is the contract INDOT attempted to let late last year and again earlier this year. Both times the sole bid received was rejected as it came in significantly over the engineer's estimate.

In Hamilton County, the contract (B-42397) to upgrade US 31 to a limited access, free flow facility is now scheduled for November 14, 2024. If memory serves, this contact was originally planned to be let in May, so it's been pushed back six months.

 

[nwi_navigator_1181]

Upthread, I mentioned that the Indiana 51/130 and Cleveland Avenue roundabout project will result in a complete closure. Thankfully, that won't be the case.

Per the City of Hobart, in conjunction with INDOT, the project will be split into phases, with phase one starting April 9. Cleveland Avenue/Indiana 51 traffic can move east and west through the intersection, while traffic coming from the south via Indiana 130 can drive up to the intersection, then must go east or west on Cleveland Avenue. The northern portion of the intersection will be closed, which means traffic coming from Ridge Road will be required to detour. The official detour - currently in place because of the current closure of Indiana 51 further south in Hobart (see upthread) - will utilize I-80/94, I-65, and US 30.

Starting on or after April 1, and continuing through July, I-65 will undergo road work between Indiana 2 and Indiana 10 for shoulder strengthening and widening. Lane closures will be in place during the overnight hours, with the southbound right lane being worked on first, then the northbound right lane afterward.

All of this is in advance of three bridge replacement projects set to take place in that area, likely taking place in the subsequent construction season.

All of the above may be a setup for potential widening work between Indiana 2 and 10, which was very briefly part of the original plans to widen I-65 from US 30 south to where it (for now) ends south of Indiana 2.

In a continued effort to make US 20 in Laporte County safer, intersection improvement work will take place between County Road 400 West and Springville Road (for reference, located between I-94/US 35 and Indiana 39). Access to US 20 via County Road 300 west will be cut off, with local detours put in place. Only one lane will go by in each direction in a "two-way traffic" configuration. Work includes widening, resurfacing, and drainage improvements, along with a new traffic signal installed at CR 300 W.

Work is set to start the week of April 2, with all work scheduled through July.

[cjw2001]

Construction starts Monday April 1 on the new roundabout at 96th and Allisonville to replace the unpopular Michigan Lefts that currently are required at that location.

[SSR_317]

Construction starts Monday April 1 on the new roundabout at 96th and Allisonville to replace the unpopular Michigan Lefts that currently are required at that location.

From the crappy website the City of Fishers has put up, as best as I can tell, it appears that pedestrians (like me) will be able to cross along the southern end of the roundabout (which is how I get to the CVS in the SW quadrant of the intersection). They conveniently (and IMHO intentionally) left that crossing OUT of the current intersection design when they did the Michigan Left reconstruction over a decade ago, likely because it was totally within Marion County & the City of Indianapolis. Indiana State Law states that roadways that are on county lines (like 96th Street here) are administered and maintained by the bordering county to the north and west.

For the record, I live in Indianapolis/Marion County in a subdivision south of 96th, so SCREW Hamilton County & Fishers and their respective governments (they've told us basically the same thing for the past 40-plus years I've lived here "on the border"). Back when 96th was widened to its current configuration in the dense residential areas between Allisonville Road and Masters Road, they didn't even bother to put sidewalks on the Marion County (south) side of 96th. As a result, we have to cross 5 lanes of endless traffic - a large portion of which likes to drive at speeds as if they're still on I-69 (just over one mile to the east) -  to access the substandard sidewalk they did build for THEIR side of the street. At one point during that project our HOA was told by the Hamilton County highway people that, "You don't pay taxes to our county, so we don't care about you." How bad neighborly of them, but (sadly) that's what we've come to expect from government when it is dominated by one entrenched political party (regardless of which party that may be) and/or seems far more beholden to private interests than the overall public good.

BTW, that rendering does not show the HUGE new residential development finally underway in the NW quadrant of this intersection, which was one of the original reasons why they put the MI Left here in the first place, but that development was a victim of the 2008 recession and the project only got revived in the past couple of years.

[ITB]

INDOT is partnering with Cummins Inc. and Purdue University to install and test a stretch of highway that can wirelessly charge electric vehicles. The technology will be placed underneath a quarter mile stretch of US 231/US 52 in West Lafayette. The $11 million project, the first of its kind in the United States, is expected to kick off as soon as next Monday.

Read more about the project here.

[tosa]

INDOT is partnering with Cummins Inc. and Purdue University to install and test a stretch of highway that can wirelessly charge electric vehicles. The technology will be placed underneath a quarter mile stretch of US 231/US 52 in West Lafayette. The $11 million project, the first of its kind in the United States, is expected to kick off as soon as next Monday.

Read more about the project here.

A stupid decision. Even if this study is really needed, given the good condition of that part of 52/231, they should test it in other locations where road upgrade or resurfacing is truly needed. So the project can be more beneficial, rather than simply tearing down a good road just because it's close to their office.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://revivei70.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024_03_25-Updated-US-35-Interchange_FINAL.pdf

An updated design of the I-70/US 35 interchange in Richmond, as part of the Revive I-70 project in Wayne County. The recommended plan replaces the 3/4 cloverleaf interchange into a single-lane roundabout.

[thenetwork]

INDOT is partnering with Cummins Inc. and Purdue University to install and test a stretch of highway that can wirelessly charge electric vehicles. The technology will be placed underneath a quarter mile stretch of US 231/US 52 in West Lafayette. The $11 million project, the first of its kind in the United States, is expected to kick off as soon as next Monday.

I thought I had read several months back that there is already a similar test street installed and operational on a several block area in downtown Detroit?

[ITB]

https://revivei70.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024_03_25-Updated-US-35-Interchange_FINAL.pdf

An updated design of the I-70/US 35 interchange in Richmond, as part of the Revive I-70 project in Wayne County. The recommended plan replaces the 3/4 cloverleaf interchange into a single-lane roundabout.

While the planned redesign seems reasonable, I can't help but wonder whether it's a step back, as the new design goes from two bridges and six lanes to one bridge with two lanes. Engineers, of course, took AADT into account, but still. The suggested configuration seems to be planned more for today rather than the future.

[wanderer2575]

INDOT is partnering with Cummins Inc. and Purdue University to install and test a stretch of highway that can wirelessly charge electric vehicles. The technology will be placed underneath a quarter mile stretch of US 231/US 52 in West Lafayette. The $11 million project, the first of its kind in the United States, is expected to kick off as soon as next Monday.

I thought I had read several months back that there is already a similar test street installed and operational on a several block area in downtown Detroit?

A 1/4 mile section of 14th Street near the Michigan Central Depot.  I believe it became operational in November 2023.

[ITB]

INDOT is partnering with Cummins Inc. and Purdue University to install and test a stretch of highway that can wirelessly charge electric vehicles. The technology will be placed underneath a quarter mile stretch of US 231/US 52 in West Lafayette. The $11 million project, the first of its kind in the United States, is expected to kick off as soon as next Monday.

I thought I had read several months back that there is already a similar test street installed and operational on a several block area in downtown Detroit?

A 1/4 mile section of 14th Street near the Michigan Central Depot.  I believe it became operational in November 2023.

The INDOT project may be the similar to others — there's one in Florida, too — or it may be different. Unless the specifics are known, we have no way of knowing for sure. In my post I simply reiterated what was reported in the Columbus Republic newspaper article. Cummins Inc. later reposted the article on its website, and that's what I linked to in my original post.

[I-55]

INDOT is partnering with Cummins Inc. and Purdue University to install and test a stretch of highway that can wirelessly charge electric vehicles. The technology will be placed underneath a quarter mile stretch of US 231/US 52 in West Lafayette. The $11 million project, the first of its kind in the United States, is expected to kick off as soon as next Monday.

Read more about the project here.

A stupid decision. Even if this study is really needed, given the good condition of that part of 52/231, they should test it in other locations where road upgrade or resurfacing is truly needed. So the project can be more beneficial, rather than simply tearing down a good road just because it's close to their office.

If they wanted to tear down road and rebuild they should've done the SB lanes just south of Lindberg where the pavement dips instead of a perfectly good section less than a quarter mile away. Had a chance to fix previous wrongs and completely missed it.

[silverback1065]

Interesting article in the Indianapolis Star. Seems like the legislature may be interested in taking back Washington and Meridian in Indianapolis. What I find interesting is the cost of doing so, they linked to another document INDOT did. I doubt this will actually happen but it is interesting to think about from a road geek perspective!    I can't think of an example where INDOT took back a road they gave away.

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2024/04/04/indiana-lawmakers-consider-taking-over-washington-and-meridian-streets/73107604007/

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/iga-publications/agency_report/2023-12-05T17-23-23.305Z-2023%20-%20Former%20State%20Highways%20Report.pdf

[74/171FAN]

Interesting article in the Indianapolis Star. Seems like the legislature may be interested in taking back Washington and Meridian in Indianapolis. What I find interesting is the cost of doing so, they linked to another document INDOT did. I doubt this will actually happen but it is interesting to think about from a road geek perspective!    I can't think of an example where INDOT took back a road they gave away.

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2024/04/04/indiana-lawmakers-consider-taking-over-washington-and-meridian-streets/73107604007/

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/iga-publications/agency_report/2023-12-05T17-23-23.305Z-2023%20-%20Former%20State%20Highways%20Report.pdf

This would make me attend the Indy Meet in June if this happens in the next two months.

[NWI_Irish96]

Interesting article in the Indianapolis Star. Seems like the legislature may be interested in taking back Washington and Meridian in Indianapolis. What I find interesting is the cost of doing so, they linked to another document INDOT did. I doubt this will actually happen but it is interesting to think about from a road geek perspective!    I can't think of an example where INDOT took back a road they gave away.

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2024/04/04/indiana-lawmakers-consider-taking-over-washington-and-meridian-streets/73107604007/

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/iga-publications/agency_report/2023-12-05T17-23-23.305Z-2023%20-%20Former%20State%20Highways%20Report.pdf

Things not mentioned that I'd like to know the answers to?

How much of Washington and Meridian? My guess would be all of Washington and Meridian north of the Circle, but waiting for clarification.

Will the routes be signed, and if so, how: Is US 40 going back through town? Will IN finally have official business routes? Will it be something like IN 940?

[jnewkirk77]

Interesting article in the Indianapolis Star. Seems like the legislature may be interested in taking back Washington and Meridian in Indianapolis. What I find interesting is the cost of doing so, they linked to another document INDOT did. I doubt this will actually happen but it is interesting to think about from a road geek perspective!    I can't think of an example where INDOT took back a road they gave away.

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2024/04/04/indiana-lawmakers-consider-taking-over-washington-and-meridian-streets/73107604007/

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/iga-publications/agency_report/2023-12-05T17-23-23.305Z-2023%20-%20Former%20State%20Highways%20Report.pdf

It's rare, but it's happened. SR 68 is the longest one I can think of. The state turned over all of 68 but the stretch from New Harmony to Poseyville to the counties (Posey, Gibson, Warrick and Spencer) after I-64 opened. Then 4 or 5 years later, the stretch from SR 57 to SR 161 was "recommissioned," followed by the Poseyville-to-57 and 161-to-Dale stretches in 1991.

[silverback1065]

Interesting article in the Indianapolis Star. Seems like the legislature may be interested in taking back Washington and Meridian in Indianapolis. What I find interesting is the cost of doing so, they linked to another document INDOT did. I doubt this will actually happen but it is interesting to think about from a road geek perspective!    I can't think of an example where INDOT took back a road they gave away.

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2024/04/04/indiana-lawmakers-consider-taking-over-washington-and-meridian-streets/73107604007/

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/iga-publications/agency_report/2023-12-05T17-23-23.305Z-2023%20-%20Former%20State%20Highways%20Report.pdf

Things not mentioned that I'd like to know the answers to?

How much of Washington and Meridian? My guess would be all of Washington and Meridian north of the Circle, but waiting for clarification.

Will the routes be signed, and if so, how: Is US 40 going back through town? Will IN finally have official business routes? Will it be something like IN 940?

I read it as 31 and 40's old routes inside 465.