Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[thefro]

That's surprising to me that they're moving so quickly on replacing I-164 with I-69.  I guess it makes sense to start building some momentum for a new bridge and finishing Section 6.

The current decision seems to still be pending FHWA approval, so don't expect any signage changes yet.

[mukade]

Approximately a year after it opened, I went back down to check out I-69. For the most part, it is holding up well. The Patoka Bridge pavement settling has been repaired, but the northbound US 50 ramp has visible cracking. This is the interchange that seemed to be completed at the last minute.

Further north toward US 231, they were re-paving the approaches to several of the bridges.

Below are some pictures of the current construction:


Looking east at US 231, the current terminus


Looking west from SR 45 future interchange





Construction around SR 54

[thefro]

The Indiana Finance Authority has posted its request for proposals for I-69 Section 5
http://www.in.gov/ifa/2779.htm

Some interesting notes:
http://www.in.gov/ifa/files/101513_-_Final_RFP_-_IFA_-_I-69_Section_5_-_Form_A.pdf
- IFA's deadline for substantial baseline completion of the project is October 31, 2016 (i.e. the upgraded road, exits, etc being open to traffic).  The companies bidding can propose an earlier date, but not a later one.

http://www.in.gov/ifa/files/I-69_5_Technical_Provisions_RFP.PDF
- I-69 Section 4, Segment 9 (the portion that connects I-69 to the current SR 37) is now anticipated to be completed in May 2015.
- A tree-clearing project and work on the Walnut street bridge are expected to be let by INDOT in November 2013, seperate from the public-private partnership.
- Timing restrictions on construction appear to be much less than the previous construction sequencing table released by INDOT.  It's basically just "don't close all the lanes on a main road at once!" now.

[rte66man]

Approximately a year after it opened, I went back down to check out I-69. For the most part, it is holding up well. The Patoka Bridge pavement settling has been repaired, but the northbound US 50 ramp has visible cracking. This is the interchange that seemed to be completed at the last minute.

Further north toward US 231, they were re-paving the approaches to several of the bridges.

Below are some pictures of the current construction:


Looking west from SR 45 future interchange

Doesn't look as if they've made much progress at this point since I was through in March:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rte66man/8639385460/

[Captain Jack]

Approximately a year after it opened, I went back down to check out I-69. For the most part, it is holding up well. The Patoka Bridge pavement settling has been repaired, but the northbound US 50 ramp has visible cracking. This is the interchange that seemed to be completed at the last minute.

Further north toward US 231, they were re-paving the approaches to several of the bridges.

Below are some pictures of the current construction:


Looking west from SR 45 future interchange

Doesn't look as if they've made much progress at this point since I was through in March:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rte66man/8639385460/

Agreed....hard to picture this being completed within a year.

[mukade]

If you look east from SR 45, however, it is a mixed bag. You can clearly see the ramps, but in the middle is a huge pile of earth. Can they complete this in 18 months? Probably.

[Kniwt]

From today, here's a two-minute video report from WTHI-TV with some scenes of Section 4.
http://www.wthitv.com/news/local/southern-indiana/i69-progress-drives-forward

[mukade]

Drove I-69 from US 50/150 to I-64 for the first time yesterday.  Was very disappointed that there were no signs marking county lines, as Pike County was my 90th Indiana county visited, and I did not get to celebrate the exact moment.

FWIW, new US 31 and SR 25 don't appear to have county line or overpass signage either. I think US 24 (Fort to Port) does.

[tdindy88]

The US 31 corridor from Plymouth to South Bend does have a county line sign (a traditional non-interstate one) in the sign plans for the Marshall-St. Joseph line but I don't remember anything else. Actually, this seems to be a recent trend not to sign such things on new projects. When I've seen overpass signage disappear I sometimes don't see it reappear. Still, I-69 should have that kind of signage as it is a different class of highway over US 31 (as of this point) and SR 25. Hopefully it will appear later.

[mukade]

Still, I-69 should have that kind of signage as it is a different class of highway over US 31 (as of this point) and SR 25. Hopefully it will appear later.

As INDOT and Mitch Daniels said on many occasions, US 31 projects make the road "Interstate quality". To me, that makes the US 31 freeway the same class as I-69. No such claims were made about US 24 and SR 25. Still, this type of signage should be on I-69, US 31, and SR 25.

[US 41]

First off Ithought there was a Indiana law for interstates that stated that the interchanges on interstates had to be 2 miles apart. Apperently I am wrong about that. Another thing is why would they ever redo the SR 45 Interchange. Leave it alone. I sort of figured the little exit thing north or SR 48 would get shut down that goes into the shopping center. Recently INDOT just redid the SR 45 interchange. They added another left turn lane for E 45 to go onto N 37. I hope they leave the folded diamond alone. INDOT is not very smart though. Just look at the exit design for the SR 641 / I70 interchange in Terre Haute. Putting traffic signals where two interstate quality roads come together is not a good idea at all. So much for an eastern bypass around TH with no stop lights.

[Henry]

It'll be interesting to see how the Bloomington-Indianapolis stretch is built out.

[tdindy88]

First off Ithought there was a Indiana law for interstates that stated that the interchanges on interstates had to be 2 miles apart. Apperently I am wrong about that. Another thing is why would they ever redo the SR 45 Interchange. Leave it alone. I sort of figured the little exit thing north or SR 48 would get shut down that goes into the shopping center. Recently INDOT just redid the SR 45 interchange. They added another left turn lane for E 45 to go onto N 37. I hope they leave the folded diamond alone. INDOT is not very smart though. Just look at the exit design for the SR 641 / I70 interchange in Terre Haute. Putting traffic signals where two interstate quality roads come together is not a good idea at all. So much for an eastern bypass around TH with no stop lights.

I believe the rule is one mile apart but that only applies for rural interstates, urban areas are likely exempt from that which should include the Bloomington area. We already know the exits for the Bloomington to Martinsville stretch and it seems there will be two interchanges between the two cities, so that one-mile rule is applied there. As I mentioned a page or two ago, the SR 45 interchange is being rebuilt into a split-diamond interchange along with Tapp Road, which requires that the interchange design be changed so that the two exits (built close to each other) would be able to connect with each other. Sure I'd love to see them keep the current design, but in order to connect the interstate with SR 45 and Tapp Road this was probably the best and cheapest way to do so.

As for the I-70/SR 641 interchange, the design of the exit does ensure that the traffic movements from I-70 to the east and SR 641 to the south remain unimpeded without traffic having to stop. Except for the loop ramp from WB 70 TO SB 641 the traffic will remain free-flowing, it's only when you head north of there that the traffic has to stop but with the Margaret Ave intersection just north of I-70 you might as well. If you want a freeway-quality highway north of I-70 you'd have to get rid of that traffic light. It's no different from the new US 31/I-465 ramp in Carmel, all traffic from US 31 to the north with I-465 will be free-flowing (freeway-to-freeway) while traffic heading to the south will have to use traffic signals.

[US 41]

Why not just add a 3rd lane from Tapp Rd. to SR 45 and keep the current interchange.

As far as Terre Haute is concerned NB 641 should not have to stop to get on WB 70. SR 46 (US 40) between Wabash and I 70 is going to turn into another 3rd Street. When 641 was planned they should've ran it up to Wabash.

[hbelkins]

I'm told INDOT has an event planned (for tomorrow at 9 a.m., I think) to announce the renumbering of I-164 as I-69.

[silverback1065]

I'm told INDOT has an event planned (for tomorrow at 9 a.m., I think) to announce the renumbering of I-164 as I-69.

So will the whole segment of 164 be 69 until the ohio river bridge is finished?  I thought the little stub of 164 that will be left after the bridge will be called 169. 

[NE2]

AASHTO approved renumbering I-164 all the way to US 41. The tiny bit west of US 41 will remain 164, but will presumably not be signed as anything.

[tdindy88]

Whatever's left to the west of US 41 will probably be considered as part of the Veterans Memorial Parkway with no I-164 at all. No need signing a miniscular section of interstate as such. As for the stretch of highway when the new bridge is built I see three options: 1) number it I-169 or some variation of that up to the US 41 interchange, 2) sign it US 41 if that highway is ever rerouted around the city along the I-69 corridor, 3) extend the Veterans Memorial Parkway out that way and sign it as such.

[thefro]

Looking at Google Streetview, the bit of I-164 west of US 41 isn't signed as I-164 at all presently.  There's an "ENDS I-164" sign at the US 41 exit and the road continuing westward is "Veterans Memorial Parkway".  If you come eastbound on Veterans Memorial Parkway the road just turns into a freeway and the exit sign for the US 41 exit also shows an exit with I-164, which seems to also designate the signed portion of the road starting at the US 41 interchange.

I suspect the remaining portion of I-164 will continue to be named that on the books for federal funding purposes at least until the I-69 bridge is built.  If they withdrew designation completely they'd have to pick up the full tab for maintenance of that little stretch of road.

[Brandon]

Whatever's left to the west of US 41 will probably be considered as part of the Veterans Memorial Parkway with no I-164 at all. No need signing a miniscular section of interstate as such.

I-175 and I-375 say hello.  It could be signed as an I-169 and still be longer than both combined.

[NE2]

I-175 and I-375 say "we have separate interchanges".

[ARMOURERERIC]

And I-180 goes into therapy out of shame

[thefro]

Here's a link to the story

http://www.14news.com/story/23979680/i-164-soon-i-69

EVANSVILLE (WFIE) -
The Indiana Department of Transportation says Interstate 164 will soon be named part of I-69.

Right now, I-164 stretches from downtown Evansville to Interstate 64 when it switches to I-69.

INDOT plans to rename the nearly 21 miles of the existing Interstate 164 in Vanderburgh and Warrick counties to Interstate 69.

Pending final approval from the Federal Highway Administration, the new signage will be installed during a transition period over a few months during the fall of 2014.

More information about the schedule will be announced as the dates approach.

Businesses are encouraged to begin planning now to update signage, maps and the directions they provide for customers.

The conversion will require updating approximately 70 large, green interstate signs at or near exits and the smaller, blue signs posted at bridges and every two tenths of a mile. When the new 67 miles of I-69 opened between Interstate 64 and Crane a year ago, the existing I-164 mile markers and exit numbers were continued northward and will not be affected.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials approved INDOT's request to rename I-164 at its Annual Meeting in October.

Construction is underway on all 27 miles of I-69 Section 4 between Crane and Bloomington, which is expected to open to traffic in phases during late 2014 and early 2015.

[Henry]

AASHTO approved renumbering I-164 all the way to US 41. The tiny bit west of US 41 will remain 164, but will presumably not be signed as anything.

I thought it can't remain I-164, as it will no longer connect to its parent when it becomes I-69.

[RoadWarrior56]

Until the new bridge is constructed, which will be years from now, I presume I-69 will take over the entire route of I-164.  Once I-69 is designated along the Pennyrile Pky in KY, I also presume that I-69 trailblazers will be co-signed with US 41 over existing bridge and across the Henderson "strip", connecting the two sections.  Once the new bridge is constructed, I would be surprised if a 3di is signed on the stub portion, even if it continues to be part of the interstate system as a hidden designation.