Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[SSR_317]

https://twitter.com/I69FinishLine/status/1242869163632341000

Those workers pour on the deck don't look like they were six feet apart to me!

[ITB]

Headed up to Martinsville and Morgan County for a look-see. Construction is well underway on Section 6 in Morgan County and is continuing despite the COVID-19 crisis.

Let's go to the pics. Photos were taken Saturday, April 18, 2020, unless other noted. To expand the photos, Right Click and follow your browser prompts.

Egbert Road overpass, Morgan County

North of Martinsville, Indiana, in Morgan County, the rebar cages for the middle piers of the overpass that will carry Egbert Road over State Road 37 (future Interstate 69); looking slightly northeast. Although signs for a Marathon Service Station still stand, the station itself, previously located where the piping now lays, has been completely demolished.


Closer look at the rebar cages for Egbert Road overpass; looking northeast. Southbound SR 37 is on the left. Around the roadway's bend in the background is the location of the future Henderson Ford Road overpass and interchange.


Another perspective of the work underway at the Egbert Road overpass work zone; looking east.

Henderson Ford Road overpass (future interchange), Morgan County

Piling driving for the Henderson Ford Road overpass in Morgan County, Indiana; looking east. Under the current construction contract (#33541), only the overpass and the future interchange roundabouts, one on each side of the overpass, will be built. The interchange ramps, along with the reconstruction of the mainline in this vicinity, will be built under another contract (#41542), to be let November, 18, 2020, almost exactly seven months from now.


Another perspective of the Henderson Ford Road work zone; looking slightly southeast.


Slightly closer look at the pile driving for the north abutment of the Henderson Ford Road overpass; looking slightly southeast. To the south, Henderson Ford Road will be extended to Centennial Road, thus forming a four-way intersection with Egbert Road. If interested, see the map here: https://www.in.gov/indot/projects/i69/files/Map%203%20Country%20Club%20Road%20to%20Ennis%20Road.pdf

Note: Although the map shows a diamond interchange without roundabouts, more recent constructions drawings indicate the I-69/Henderson Ford Road interchange will feature roundabouts.

Perry Road overpass, Morgan County

Pile driving for the overpass that will carry Perry Road over State Road 37 (future Interstate 69) in Morgan County, Indiana; looking slightly southeast. The Perry Road overpass is located roughly two miles up SR 37 from the Henderson Ford Road overpass and future interchange. The new overpass will allow Perry Road traffic to reach Old State Road 37 in Waverly and then access Interstate 69 at the future State Road 144/I-69 interchange. Here's the map: https://www.in.gov/indot/projects/i69/files/Map%204%20Ennis%20Road%20to%20Big%20Bend%20Road.pdf


The crane and pile driving rigging at the Perry Road overpass work zone; looking southeast.


Another perspective of the Perry Road overpass work zone; looking slightly southeast. In the foreground is the arm of an excavator.


Looking south toward State Road 37 from near the Perry Road overpass work zone. The area between Martinsville, Indiana, and State Road 144, about 10 miles to the north, remains primarily rural farmland. The terrain is generally flat. To the right, out of the frame, runs the White River. The acreage west of SR 37 in this vicinity, while farmed, is floodplain. Almost any future development in this area, whether a year from now or 20, will be situated east of Interstate 69.

At this time, all four mainline overpass components of Contract #33541 – Egbert Road, Henderson Ford Road, Perry Road and Waverly Road – are under construction. Because work just recently commenced at the Waverly Road/SR 37 crossing, no pictures as yet. Contract #33541 was awarded to Crider and Crider, Inc., a Bloomington based contractor. Crider was the main subcontractor of Section 5, and built, as well, the I-69/SR 37 interchange south of Bloomington, along with another Section 4 segment further southwest. The work under #33541 encompasses the four overpasses mentioned above as well as new frontage, or service, roads, and their respective bridges and culverts, in Morgan County.

More pictures to come.

Edit: grammar; added the Note in regards to the map.

[SSR_317]

Thanks for the updates, ITB!

[tdindy88]

I know it's way too late to consider such an idea but with the lower traffic counts so far, but I wonder if this might have been a better year to close SR 37 through Martinsville. I know there's way too much to still do before such a closure was possible.

Still, I was surprised to see bridge work starting along SR 37 north of Martinsville, I didn't think that would happen until the mainline started getting worked on.

[mvak36]

I know it's way too late to consider such an idea but with the lower traffic counts so far, but I wonder if this might have been a better year to close SR 37 through Martinsville. I know there's way too much to still do before such a closure was possible.

Still, I was surprised to see bridge work starting along SR 37 north of Martinsville, I didn't think that would happen until the mainline started getting worked on.

Yeah I was wondering the same thing. Maybe they can get ahead on some of the next year's work so they don't have to close 37 as long.

I'm interested in seeing if Contracts 4 and 5 are still going to be let this fall like they have on their site.

[ITB]

I know it's way too late to consider such an idea but with the lower traffic counts so far, but I wonder if this might have been a better year to close SR 37 through Martinsville. I know there's way too much to still do before such a closure was possible.

Ideally, considering the current situation, closing SR 37 this year rather than next would have been better. However, as you point out, a lot has to be done before the closure, and it's just too late now to significantly adjust the schedule.

Still, I was surprised to see bridge work starting along SR 37 north of Martinsville, I didn't think that would happen until the mainline started getting worked on.

The goal of the overpass and frontage road work currently underway north of Martinsville is to ensure continued access and mobility for residents as mainline I-69 work ramps up next year. Next spring, when mainline construction kicks off in Morgan County, access points to SR 37 will be sealed off, one by one. Residents still must be able to get around, so the plan is to have the frontage roads and overpasses finished prior to these closures.

I'm interested in seeing if Contracts 4 and 5 are still going to be let this fall like they have on their site.

Contract No. 4 (#41542), the fourth of the five contracts for Section 6, is scheduled to be let November 18, 2020. The letting most likely will go as planned. However, as the current situation is unprecedented, nothing is set in stone. Contract No. 5 has yet to be placed on INDOT's 18 month letting schedule, but probably will be listed in the next 3-4 months, with letting planned for late 2020 or early 2021.

Thanks for the updates, ITB!

Glad the photos were of interest.

[ITB]

Here's a few more pictures. Photos were taken Saturday, April 18, 2020, unless otherwise noted.

I-69, Section 6, Morgan County

Looking north from near the intersection of State Road 37 and County Club Road just north of Martinsville, Indiana, toward a work zone where earth work is underway to construct a new frontage, or service, road. The new road will link into a segment of Old State Road 37, located just beyond the crest of the hill in the background. That segment of Old SR 37 is planned connect with the Egbert Road I-69 overpass (pictured in the earlier set of photos).

See the map here: https://i69finishline.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Contracts-3-and-4.pdf  Although County Club Road is not identified on the map, it's located between Myra Lane and Teeter Road just above the I-69 shield.

Henderson Ford Road overpass work zone

Official and legal notices posted at the Henderson Ford Road work zone, north of Martinsville, Indiana.


Posted document at the Henderson Ford Road work zone listing wage rates for Contract #33541.

Grand Valley Blvd. overpass, Martinsville, Indiana

The overpass that will carry Grand Valley Blvd. over SR 37 in Martinsville; looking east. The overpass is expected to complete and be opened to traffic in late spring.


Looking east toward where the new overpass will connect to Grand Valley Blvd., east of SR 37.


Formwork for the north sidewall of the Grand Valley Blvd. overpass; looking east.


Looking north from the Grand Valley Blvd. overpass toward State Road 37. In the background is the SR 37/SR 252 intersection where an interchange is be constructed. Prep work is underway.


Looking south from the Grand Valley Blvd. overpass toward State Road 37. Just around the bend in the background is the SR 37/Ohio Street intersection which will be converted to an interchange. Prep work is underway.

Because time was short I didn't go into Martinsville proper to check out work that is underway on Morton Street and SR 39. At this time, too, crews for Walsh Construction and its subs are prepping the area in and around the SR 37/SR 39 interchange for full blown construction of the new interchange there. Also, planned to commence soon is reconstruction of the mainline bridges over Indian Creek south of Martinsville. Everybody, please take care. Stay safe!

[ibthebigd]

Will the Evansville bridge be done by 2030?

SM-G950U

[Henry]

I imagine there will be a frontage road where the Ford dealership is? It wouldn't make sense to not have any kind of outlet from the dealership to the main road without something direct to the side of it.

[sprjus4]

I imagine there will be a frontage road where the Ford dealership is? It wouldn't make sense to not have any kind of outlet from the dealership to the main road without something direct to the side of it.

There's currently no direct access from the dealership to SH-37, it has back access. A frontage road from the Ohio St interchange will provide access to the back access in.

https://www.in.gov/indot/projects/i69/files/Map%201%20Indian%20Creek%20to%20Grand%20Valley%20Boulevard.pdf

[Life in Paradise]

Just curious, and perhaps this has been mentioned before.  With all of the difficulty in having to close up the road for one year, threading the needle between the commercial establishments and the high school, etc, were there any cost estimations for planning I-69 out beyond Martinsville to avoid all of the headaches of the current footprint, and how much more would that have cost?

[sprjus4]

Just curious, and perhaps this has been mentioned before.  With all of the difficulty in having to close up the road for one year, threading the needle between the commercial establishments and the high school, etc, were there any cost estimations for planning I-69 out beyond Martinsville to avoid all of the headaches of the current footprint, and how much more would that have cost?

IIRC, a new location proposal would've left SH-37 north of Martinsville, and tied into I-70 near Mooresville. This was met with opposition though, and they ended up just staying on the existing alignment.

Mooresville Alignments - https://www.in.gov/indot/projects/i69/files/Alt_D_MAP.pdf   ///   https://www.in.gov/indot/projects/i69/files/Alt_B_MAP.pdf
All potential alignments -

[edwaleni]

Just curious, and perhaps this has been mentioned before.  With all of the difficulty in having to close up the road for one year, threading the needle between the commercial establishments and the high school, etc, were there any cost estimations for planning I-69 out beyond Martinsville to avoid all of the headaches of the current footprint, and how much more would that have cost?

IIRC, a new location proposal would've left SH-37 north of Martinsville, and tied into I-70 near Mooresville. This was met with opposition though, and they ended up just staying on the existing alignment.

Mooresville Alignments - https://www.in.gov/indot/projects/i69/files/Alt_D_MAP.pdf   ///   https://www.in.gov/indot/projects/i69/files/Alt_B_MAP.pdf
All potential alignments -

There are still plans to bring Ronald Reagan Parkway/Ameriplex Parkway down further south to connect with a I-69 arterial. Last I looked it was planned as far as Mann Road. There was some debate on where/how it would cross the White River to reach I-69. I think it was going to be Smith Valley Road since it goes all the way to I-65 in Greenwood. I will have to go back and look at the I-69 layout for that area.

When they finish the RRP all the way to Whitestown Parkway and I-65, this would be a westside arterial to the southside without using I-465.

[tdindy88]

There are still plans to bring Ronald Reagan Parkway/Ameriplex Parkway down further south to connect with a I-69 arterial. Last I looked it was planned as far as Mann Road. There was some debate on where/how it would cross the White River to reach I-69. I think it was going to be Smith Valley Road since it goes all the way to I-65 in Greenwood. I will have to go back and look at the I-69 layout for that area.

The plan from the city of Indianapolis is to have Ameriplex Parkway connect with Mann Road at its intersection with Southport Road, which heads east across the White River and a future interchange with Interstate 69. At some point it may be prudent to widen Southport to four lanes (including a new bridge) if this kind of routing ever becomes a reality.

[ITB]

There are still plans to bring Ronald Reagan Parkway/Ameriplex Parkway down further south to connect with a I-69 arterial. Last I looked it was planned as far as Mann Road. There was some debate on where/how it would cross the White River to reach I-69. I think it was going to be Smith Valley Road since it goes all the way to I-65 in Greenwood. I will have to go back and look at the I-69 layout for that area.

The plan from the city of Indianapolis is to have Ameriplex Parkway connect with Mann Road at its intersection with Southport Road, which heads east across the White River and a future interchange with Interstate 69. At some point it may be prudent to widen Southport to four lanes (including a new bridge) if this kind of routing ever becomes a reality.

For those interested in the proposed Ameriplex Parkway extension, here's a study prepared by HNTB in 2017: https://citybase-cms-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/2326378afe1a4a82a5a8acacad23eba3.pdf

[ITB]

Will the Evansville bridge be done by 2030?

SM-G950U

As the Record of Decision has yet to be issued, the schedule of the I-69 ORX project remains in flux. But, yes, in all likelihood, the new I-69 bridge should be completed by 2030. We'll have a better sense of the schedule when the ROD is released. That should happen either this year or next, barring unforeseen complications.

[ITB]

Just curious, and perhaps this has been mentioned before.  With all of the difficulty in having to close up the road for one year, threading the needle between the commercial establishments and the high school, etc, were there any cost estimations for planning I-69 out beyond Martinsville to avoid all of the headaches of the current footprint, and how much more would that have cost?

What you're wondering, I assume, is whether a Martinsville bypass was ever considered for Interstate 69. Although I don't know if such a route was ever evaluated, I would guess it was briefly looked at. To better understand the decision to utilize SR 37, it helps to look back a few decades. Forty years ago, SR 37 was the Martinsville bypass. There was almost nothing built east of the highway – no Walmart, no Ford dealership, no fast food places. It was still mainly farmland. A lot of growth has transpired since then, but Martinsville proper, the heart of the town, still sits where it always has – west of SR 37 – thus, the highway, in a way, now goes through town, rather than around. Same thing happened in Bloomington, but to a lesser extent.

A new bypass of Martinsville would, by necessity, have to built east of town, perhaps as much as a mile or so further east of SR 37. The reason for this is the White River and its floodplain, which border the western edges of Martinsville. While the White isn't a particularly large waterway when compared to others such as the Ohio, it floods, as all rivers do, from time to time. Building a bypass to carry I-69 near or on an actual floodplain in Martinsville would be challenging and very expensive. It's doable, to be sure, but other options generally rule out a western route. The issues with a new eastern bypass is the carving up of new terrain and the probable hefty cost. There's a reason why there's only one major north-south road between Indianapolis and Bloomington – SR 37 – and that's rock. In this area of Indiana and among its rolling hills, thick, tough rock is found just below the surface. Blasting it out for a roadway is, to say politely, damn expensive. Doable, of course, but at what cost.

So, there lies State Road 37, a divided four-lane highway, running right through the town of Martinsville. After an thorough evaluation of a myriad of options, it really was a no-brainer decision to upgrade SR 37. The decision to close the highway in Martinsville for one construction season, I imagine, wasn't a easy one. And, yes, the road could be kept open. But instead of two years of construction, it would have been three or more. So there was a trade off. Was it the right decision? We'll see. Personally, I'm a little uneasy. I'd feel better if, somehow, truckers could be induced to avoid the area entirely. Hopefully, as the construction unfolds, people will understand and make the necessary travel adjustments; nevertheless, the first month of the closure will undoubtedly test the patience of many.


This is the view looking north toward SR 37 and the SR 37/SR 252 intersection.  Plans are for Interstate 69 to go over SR 252 at the I-69/SR 252 interchange. That means significantly building up the ground in that vicinity for both mainline and ramps. That's the primary reason why SR 37 is to be closed; that, and the ground buildup and the realignment of Sartor Ditch in the vicinity of the new interchange at Ohio Street. There the ground will be built up to prevent any potential flooding of Sartor Ditch from severing the interstate, which is what happened in 2008 when water severed SR 37. In the deep background at the crest of the hill is the SR 37/SR 44 intersection. SR 44 will go over I-69.

[edwaleni]

There are still plans to bring Ronald Reagan Parkway/Ameriplex Parkway down further south to connect with a I-69 arterial. Last I looked it was planned as far as Mann Road. There was some debate on where/how it would cross the White River to reach I-69. I think it was going to be Smith Valley Road since it goes all the way to I-65 in Greenwood. I will have to go back and look at the I-69 layout for that area.

The plan from the city of Indianapolis is to have Ameriplex Parkway connect with Mann Road at its intersection with Southport Road, which heads east across the White River and a future interchange with Interstate 69. At some point it may be prudent to widen Southport to four lanes (including a new bridge) if this kind of routing ever becomes a reality.

For those interested in the proposed Ameriplex Parkway extension, here's a study prepared by HNTB in 2017: https://citybase-cms-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/2326378afe1a4a82a5a8acacad23eba3.pdf

Thanks for the link. I just couldn't remember which E/W arterial they were going to connect it with. (Southport)  I recall a lot of discussion in a public hearing about a bridge upgrade over the White River, but couldn't remember which route.

[ibthebigd]

Looks like IN 67 To IN 39 would be a good detour during the closure?

I'm sure a lot of people will go I-65 to Columbus then over to Blomington.

SM-G950U

[Life in Paradise]

Looks like IN 67 To IN 39 would be a good detour during the closure?

I'm sure a lot of people will go I-65 to Columbus then over to Blomington.

SM-G950U

I doubt too many from Bloomington will go over to Columbus.  I would think more likely you will see the Martinsville Hwy 39 cut through and then go up IN-67 or IN-46 to Spencer, US-231 to Cloverdale, and then I-70 into Indy.  Too many curves and slow traveling vehicles in and around Nashville, IN.

Shout out to ITB.  Thanks for the photos.  I had also forgotten about the rock even up in that area.  I've been driving all for the different ways from So Indiana to Indianapolis for 40 years, am just so, so glad that the time has been cut, and no longer have to worry about looking for cars with lights on the roof or embedded in the grille while I try to make decent time.

[vdeane]

Just curious, and perhaps this has been mentioned before.  With all of the difficulty in having to close up the road for one year, threading the needle between the commercial establishments and the high school, etc, were there any cost estimations for planning I-69 out beyond Martinsville to avoid all of the headaches of the current footprint, and how much more would that have cost?

What you're wondering, I assume, is whether a Martinsville bypass was ever considered for Interstate 69. Although I don't know if such a route was ever evaluated, I would guess it was briefly looked at. To better understand the decision to utilize SR 37, it helps to look back a few decades. Forty years ago, SR 37 was the Martinsville bypass. There was almost nothing built east of the highway – no Walmart, no Ford dealership, no fast food places. It was still mainly farmland. A lot of growth has transpired since then, but Martinsville proper, the heart of the town, still sits where it always has – west of SR 37 – thus, the highway, in a way, now goes through town, rather than around. Same thing happened in Bloomington, but to a lesser extent.

A new bypass of Martinsville would, by necessity, have to built east of town, perhaps as much as a mile or so further east of SR 37. The reason for this is the White River and its floodplain, which border the western edges of Martinsville. While the White isn't a particularly large waterway when compared to others such as the Ohio, it floods, as all rivers do, from time to time. Building a bypass to carry I-69 near or on an actual floodplain in Martinsville would be challenging and very expensive. It's doable, to be sure, but other options generally rule out a western route. The issues with a new eastern bypass is the carving up of new terrain and the probable hefty cost. There's a reason why there's only one major north-south road between Indianapolis and Bloomington – SR 37 – and that's rock. In this area of Indiana and among its rolling hills, thick, tough rock is found just below the surface. Blasting it out for a roadway is, to say politely, damn expensive. Doable, of course, but at what cost.

So, there lies State Road 37, a divided four-lane highway, running right through the town of Martinsville. After an thorough evaluation of a myriad of options, it really was a no-brainer decision to upgrade SR 37. The decision to close the highway in Martinsville for one construction season, I imagine, wasn't a easy one. And, yes, the road could be kept open. But instead of two years of construction, it would have been three or more. So there was a trade off. Was it the right decision? We'll see. Personally, I'm a little uneasy. I'd feel better if, somehow, truckers could be induced to avoid the area entirely. Hopefully, as the construction unfolds, people will understand and make the necessary travel adjustments; nevertheless, the first month of the closure will undoubtedly test the patience of many.


This is the view looking north toward SR 37 and the SR 37/SR 252 intersection.  Plans are for Interstate 69 to go over SR 252 at the I-69/SR 252 interchange. That means significantly building up the ground in that vicinity for both mainline and ramps. That's the primary reason why SR 37 is to be closed; that, and the ground buildup and the realignment of Sartor Ditch in the vicinity of the new interchange at Ohio Street. There the ground will be built up to prevent any potential flooding of Sartor Ditch from severing the interstate, which is what happened in 2008 when water severed SR 37. In the deep background at the crest of the hill is the SR 37/SR 44 intersection. SR 44 will go over I-69.

It's too bad that the project couldn't have started a year earlier so that the closure could fall when everyone is staying home anyways due to coronavirus.

[sprjus4]

Just curious, and perhaps this has been mentioned before.  With all of the difficulty in having to close up the road for one year, threading the needle between the commercial establishments and the high school, etc, were there any cost estimations for planning I-69 out beyond Martinsville to avoid all of the headaches of the current footprint, and how much more would that have cost?

What you're wondering, I assume, is whether a Martinsville bypass was ever considered for Interstate 69. Although I don't know if such a route was ever evaluated, I would guess it was briefly looked at. To better understand the decision to utilize SR 37, it helps to look back a few decades. Forty years ago, SR 37 was the Martinsville bypass. There was almost nothing built east of the highway – no Walmart, no Ford dealership, no fast food places. It was still mainly farmland. A lot of growth has transpired since then, but Martinsville proper, the heart of the town, still sits where it always has – west of SR 37 – thus, the highway, in a way, now goes through town, rather than around. Same thing happened in Bloomington, but to a lesser extent.

A new bypass of Martinsville would, by necessity, have to built east of town, perhaps as much as a mile or so further east of SR 37. The reason for this is the White River and its floodplain, which border the western edges of Martinsville. While the White isn't a particularly large waterway when compared to others such as the Ohio, it floods, as all rivers do, from time to time. Building a bypass to carry I-69 near or on an actual floodplain in Martinsville would be challenging and very expensive. It's doable, to be sure, but other options generally rule out a western route. The issues with a new eastern bypass is the carving up of new terrain and the probable hefty cost. There's a reason why there's only one major north-south road between Indianapolis and Bloomington – SR 37 – and that's rock. In this area of Indiana and among its rolling hills, thick, tough rock is found just below the surface. Blasting it out for a roadway is, to say politely, damn expensive. Doable, of course, but at what cost.

So, there lies State Road 37, a divided four-lane highway, running right through the town of Martinsville. After an thorough evaluation of a myriad of options, it really was a no-brainer decision to upgrade SR 37. The decision to close the highway in Martinsville for one construction season, I imagine, wasn't a easy one. And, yes, the road could be kept open. But instead of two years of construction, it would have been three or more. So there was a trade off. Was it the right decision? We'll see. Personally, I'm a little uneasy. I'd feel better if, somehow, truckers could be induced to avoid the area entirely. Hopefully, as the construction unfolds, people will understand and make the necessary travel adjustments; nevertheless, the first month of the closure will undoubtedly test the patience of many.

Another aspect of the pre-existing SH-37 Martinsville bypass is that while it does have developing backing it, the road itself does have limited access. This makes the upgrade process significantly easier not having to acquire as much right of way, building continuous frontage roads, eliminating access, etc. The only work is upgrading the roadway to interstate standard, constructing a few interchanges, and a few frontage roads here and there where needed. Additionally, I believe the project will widen that section to 6 lanes (?) which isn't needed to achieve interstate status, rather for traffic demand - the same reason it was widened along the pre-existing SH-37 Bloomington bypass.

[ITB]

Maps from the Section 6 FEIS that depict the various alternatives for I-69, and their elimination from consideration for one reason or another.







An eastern bypass of Martinsville (Alternative N, Figure 3-4) was indeed examined. But it was dropped from further consideration due "to  environmental  impacts and lack of agency and community support." The western alternative that began south of Martinsville at SR 37 (Alternative P, Figure 3-4) was eliminated "due to impacts to wetlands, forested lands, floodways and Meyer Nature Preserve without commensurate benefits in performance."

Alternative M (Figure 3-3), looks very similar to the plans to extend Ameriplex Parkway to the Southport and Mann Road intersection. That project, now dubbed Decatur Direct: Connecting the Community, is currently in design, with right-of-way acquisition scheduled to begin the middle of 2021. A link to the project website can be found below.

As we all know, of the five preliminary alternatives extensively reviewed (Figure 3-5), Option C (State Road 37), was ultimately selected.

Link: https://www.in.gov/indot/projects/i69/files/I69S6FEIS_Ch3_Alternatives.pdf

Link: Decatur Direct https://www.decaturdirect.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Ameriplex-Parkway-02-18-20-0925-2.pdf

Edit: grammar

[tdindy88]

I think, even if I-69 did not exist, SR 37 would have been turned into a freeway between Indy and Bloomington at some point. There are two major highways that aren't interstates radiating out from Indianapolis, US 31 to the north and SR 37 to the south. I figure by this point there would have been a push to turn SR 37 similar to what was done to US 31 north of Indy.

At the very minimum I would guess that SR 37 from the Walnut Street intersection south of Bloomington north to the present location of the Walnut Street exit to the north, and potentially up toward Sample Road would have still become a freeway. The section around Martinsville could have had SR 37 arc around the east of the city, a la the Kokomo bypass, and the stretch from SR 144 north to I-465 would have become a freeway like the current US 31 through Carmel and Westfield. And if Indiana wanted to be cheap they could have kept the rest of the highway an expressway with free-flowing traffic with the "promise" that the gaps would have been filled in later.

Alas, we'll just have to settle for the whole highway becoming a freeway. Oh well

[Phone_Harold]

I think, even if I-69 did not exist, SR 37 would have been turned into a freeway between Indy and Bloomington at some point. There are two major highways that aren't interstates radiating out from Indianapolis, US 31 to the north and SR 37 to the south. I figure by this point there would have been a push to turn SR 37 similar to what was done to US 31 north of Indy.

-->  Not in Indiana, they would just add more stoplights .  SR 37 should have been a freeway in the early 70s when the four laned SR 37 all the way to Mitchel.  Any other state I lived in would have done that.