Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[Grzrd]

^^

Here is a little more info on the activities.

Antique tractors, classic cars, bicyclists, runners, campers and possibly some artists and dancers may take to the pavement as part of festivities previewing the highway's debut.

He may be in a life situation where he will have to make a "stealth" visit outside of the knowledge of a significant other, employer, etc.  If you see a dancer out-of-sync with the others, then you may be observing an undercover roadgeek.

[mukade]

I know the highway was built a bit...cheap, but the highway still should be fine.

I remember staged pavement was proposed, but as far as I know it was not used as most of I-69 is PCCP. I did hear the right of way was a little narrower, but one of the opponents' big complaints was the loss of woods and farm land. A slightly narrower right of way would be a good thing by that logic.

I think this document proposed several things that were the source of the belief that corners were being cut, but I do not believe they were all adopted. Also, I am not sure what they would really do to the quality of the highway. Maybe others can comment on that.

From the one completed exit, INDOT installed full lighting at the interchange. Some states rarely install lighting. If corners were really being cut so much, this is something you would not expect to see.

[tdindy88]

Interesting, I didn't know if the proposal with the concrete was carried through or not. The ROW component is fine, as long as there is enough for the highway and obviously there is. The only other cutting corners aspect I would have seen is the eliminationg (or postonment) of the two local exits between Petersburg and Washington, and the elimination of a rest area (I think it was north of Washington, and perhaps it is still being built, I just haven't seen anything on it.) On that note, introducing a new question, does anyone have any thoughts about the location of new rest areas once INDOT is in the mood to install them? How about welcome centers, do you see one on I-164 eventually?

[RoadWarrior56]

Many of the I-69 "cost saving" proposals were  probably recommendations from "Value Engineering" Studies.  VE is mandatory on a project using federal money that costs over $25,000,000.  Even though Major Moves money payed for all or most of it, I don't doubt that VE was there somewhere in the process.  If Georgia DOT is an indication, state DOT's use it agressively these days, whether required by the Feds or not.

[mukade]

On that note, intoducing a new question, does anyone have any thoughts about the location of new rest areas once INDOT is in the mood to install them? How about welcome centers, do you see one on I-164 eventually?

The only one I saw in the plans that were published at one time was at the postponed northern Daviess County interchange. The rest area would serve both directions. I believe INDOT bought the land for it, but no timeline for construction has been made public.

[silverback1065]

I can't make it down there for a while, hopefully the route will be added to google maps by someone (or pictures from someone on here).

[mukade]

Now that a milestone is looming with the opening of 65 more miles and most of section 4 between Crane and Bloomington is under construction, here are three classic articles that I bookmarked along the journey - there are probably hundreds of articles still online that document the whole story. The first of my three was written before funding had been identified in 2005, and is pretty funny in hindsight, but the skepticism was understandable.

The mayor of Evansville says he questions Governor Mitch Daniels' commitment to construction of the I-69 highway extension linking his city with Indianapolis.

Evansville Mayor Skeptical About I-69 Construction (Indiana Public Media, July 1, 2005)

The second is an example of how the anti-I-69 group, CARR, is used for "analysis".

Detailed design studies, which include estimates for construction, engineering, design and land acquisitions for the stretch from Evansville to Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, project a cost of $986 million to $1.2 billion.

That's as much as $500 million more than the state has budgeted.

"That $700 million: There's no way that gets them to Crane. No way," said Thomas Tokarski, president of Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads, a leading I-69 opposition group. "They're going to run out of money."

For the record, it actually ended up costing around $600 million and the $100M savings were applied to the construction of section 4. You wonder where these people come up with their information.

I-69 project: Can state finish what it started? (Indy Star, August 17, 2009)

Finally, an editorial in Evansville when the schedule for construction of the Crane to Bloomington section was unexpectedly bumped up by more six years.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels came to Southwestern Indiana on Wednesday to make a stunning announcement: If the Midwestern construction climate remains as is, motorists may be driving to Bloomington on Interstate 69 by 2014.

Imagine that. A project that took more than 50 years to see dirt turned may stretch from Evansville to Bloomington in six years time. Before Wednesday, the expectation had been that the Crane to Bloomington work would not even take place until sometime between 2016 and 2020.

EDITORIAL: On to Bloomington: A truly stunning development on I-69 (Evansville Courier and Press, May 24, 2010)

[ShawnP]

Road trip to check the quality of construction.

[mukade]

A few more details on  the I-69 pre-opening shindig.

...Officials in Vanderburgh, Gibson, Pike, Daviess, and Greene counties have been contacted to participate in what she called a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

INDOT planning day of activities along new stretch of I-69 (Greene County Daily World)

[mukade]

I-69 articles from today:

EDITORIAL: I-69 communities ready to celebrate (Evansville Courier & Press)

INDOT Closing State Road 45 Near Bloomfield (WBIW)

My wife went north on I-69 to Ft. Wayne yesterday and said the exit number conversion has started in the northbound lanes. I taught her well. Last week, most signs in the southbound lanes down to SR 22/US 35 had been changed.

[silverback1065]

A new connector road around state road 45? Wish they put a map of the new roads in the article

[mukade]

The connector road extends SR 445 to I-69. SR 45 gets an interchange further south. All INDOT plans are online.

[silverback1065]

The connector road extends SR 445 to I-69. SR 45 gets an interchange further south. All INDOT plans are online.

Thanks totally forgot about that

[WrkHrse]

This may be a little off topic, but does anyone know what will happen to the current end of SR-37/Harding St. North of Epler Ave.? I am just curious to know what will happen to the 4-lane section between the Harding St. intersection and Epler after the I-69 leg is built to bypass the current SR-37 interchange.

Logic would dictate that since the money was spent to upgrade the road that it would end at Epler, but it would simply be a bypass to the existing Harding st. Plus there is no business access to that short stretch.

[silverback1065]

This may be a little off topic, but does anyone know what will happen to the current end of SR-37/Harding St. North of Epler Ave.? I am just curious to know what will happen to the 4-lane section between the Harding St. intersection and Epler after the I-69 leg is built to bypass the current SR-37 interchange.

Logic would dictate that since the money was spent to upgrade the road that it would end at Epler, but it would simply be a bypass to the existing Harding st. Plus there is no business access to that short stretch.

I believe they will make harding one continuous street they will connect it with the part that leaves 37 just north of epler.

[mukade]

This may be a little off topic, but does anyone know what will happen to the current end of SR-37/Harding St. North of Epler Ave.? I am just curious to know what will happen to the 4-lane section between the Harding St. intersection and Epler after the I-69 leg is built to bypass the current SR-37 interchange.

Logic would dictate that since the money was spent to upgrade the road that it would end at Epler, but it would simply be a bypass to the existing Harding st. Plus there is no business access to that short stretch.

Plans are not final, but if I remember correctly, preliminary pans that were posted showed it staying as is from Epler to I-465 and north. It would not connect to I-69 near Epler. Remember, section 6 final plans could be totally different.

[NE2]

Preliminary alternatives from 2005: http://www.i69indyevn.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/map_PIM_11I-465-HardingSt.pdf
Harding would go straight through; the southbound lanes of SR 37 would be retained for local access between Harding and Epler.

[mukade]

From the Fort Wayne perspective at least, the great exit renumbering is approaching completion.

I-69 Renumbering Nearing Completion (Indiana News Center)

[rawmustard]

From the Fort Wayne perspective at least, the great exit renumbering is approaching completion.

I-69 Renumbering Nearing Completion (Indiana News Center)

I drove down to Fort Wayne this past Sunday (mainly to check progress on Fort-to-Port and drive the newly opened section) and noticed that just about all the southbound signs were done. The exceptions were the service signs (presumably those are contracted) and the advance signs for Exit 357 which are north of the state line (perhaps those will be gotten once they get all the way north). Even the reference markers for overpasses were updated, since normally those get neglected when a conventional SR is rerouted/turned back/realigned.

[Henry]

I think INDOT was jumping the gun with its renumbering scheme on the existing I-69, because wasn't the southward extension supposed to be only 184 miles? If so, the mile markers/exit numbers have gone 16 more than they should really be, although I do realize that this is pending the final plans for the still-unbuilt Bloomington-Indianapolis route.

[tdindy88]

It's supposed to be 184 miles, INDOT is aware of that, they just figured that it was easier for people to add 200 than 184. As for the Bloomington to Indianapolis route, most if not all people assume it will be along SR 37 nearly all the way to I-465, unless it gets veered off toward I-70, but there's no actual plans for that right now. INDOT's stance is that conviencence trumps logic.

[Alps]

INDOT's stance is that convenience can be the most logical choice.

FTFY.

[digitalphiltv]

Slightly off-topic, but http://kunstlercast.com/shows/kunstlercast_141_interstate_69_matt_dellinger.html ... 55 minute audio clip, Matt Dellinger discusses his book "Interstate 69: The Unfinished History of the Last Great American Highway"

How much is left on the Indy to Michigan Renumbering? Are they including the mileposts? I live in Indy, but have not been able to find the time to go over there and look at the local effort.

[Henry]

I guess it does make sense to add 200 to the existing numbers; it's easier to remember than if they added 184.

Is there a map of the southern extension as proposed? (down to and including the Ohio River crossing)

[vdeane]

Or you could just brute force memorize them.  It's what people do to remember facts in school, so how hard can it be?