Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[74/171FAN]

^I have a fictional idea of extending US 131 SB to at least Wabash.

[NWI_Irish96]

^I have a fictional area of extending US 131 SB to at least Wabash.

I have it going all the way to US 31 via US 20, IN 15, IN 9 and IN 46

[hobsini2]

^I have a fictional area of extending US 131 SB to at least Wabash.

I have it going all the way to US 31 via US 20, IN 15, IN 9 and IN 46

Frankly, I would have US 131 go at least to Marion if not all the way to Fishers via IN 13, IN 15, IN 9, IN 37.

[Rothman]

This is the I-69 Update thread, which has been a nice, uncluttered thread for those of us interested in the project.  Fictional stuff belongs in Fictional.

[hobsini2]

This is the I-69 Update thread, which has been a nice, uncluttered thread for those of us interested in the project.  Fictional stuff belongs in Fictional.

I see the tangent police are out. Point taken though.

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Upcoming closure just east of Southport Rd Interchange, starting yesterday

Perry Commons Avenue at Old Southport Road/Winslet Boulevard is expected to close to traffic the evening of Monday, March 25 for up to 45 days, weather permitting. The closure facilitates rebuilding the road. During the closure, all local traffic must use Perry Commons Boulevard at Harding Street to enter and exit the neighborhood.  After this work is complete, the Perry Commons Avenue intersection will reopen to traffic, and construction work will begin on the north side of Old Southport Road.

I imagine this closure is to realign the road to better connect the neighborhood with Southport.

[TheCleanDemon]

Interesting that the pull-through part of that sign apparently does not include I-69 nbd.  Unless it's on a separate line and is covered.  I know INDOT doesn't sign state and US routes on the I-465 beltway, but I expected I-69 to be signed.

The sign in question isn't in a spot where 69 and 465 are running concurrent. 69 will be signed just like 74 is.

465EB/Outer, 69NB is joining the beltway here. It may very well be signed but covered

It is signed under the tarp. INDOT will be updating all signs along 465 in 2024 into 2025 to include both I-74 and I-69, as well as along intersecting roads, including I-70 on the east side. So I-69 will not be a "hidden designation" along I-465, unlike, say, SR 67.

According to the sign plan shared in this thread, that is not correct. That giant tarp is only covering giant arrows.

Edit to add I'm only taking about the specific sign we were originally talking about. Obviously 69 isn't going to be a hidden route, and that wasn't the claim I made

[Moose]

69/465 south side interchange construction before and after photos posted.

https://fb.watch/r6s9wZKMk1/

[ITB]

Here's a couple of screen grabs from the video mentioned in the above post, plus another one:


I-69 Finish Line


I-69 Finish Line


I-69 Finish Line
From early March, sets of girders prior to placement for the I-69N to I-465W flyover.

[ITB]

Here's some more pictures. On the trip I tried to discover some new perspectives. It's challenging because I-465 crosses over most arterials in the construction zone, such as Bluff Road and Harding Street, instead of the other way around. I've learned from experience that, generally, better shots of roads are acquired when the perspective is by looking down at them. In that regard, overpasses are great. That's why you see pictures, more often than not, from locations like the Mann Road and Epler Avenue overpasses, and from the I-69 interchange construction zone itself.

Photos were taken Sunday, March 31, 2024.

The weather forecast was for partly cloudy skies until about 7:00 pm. Well, yes, the sun did shine for a little while, but by 6:00 pm, thick cloud cover had moved in. As a result, the pictures are a mix of brightness and moody grayness. It is what it is.


On the south side of Indianapolis, looking north from the Epler Avenue overpass. Crew have been making good progress paving the ramps of the I-69/I-465 interchange. The interchange ramps are being paved with Portland Cement Concrete atop a base layer of coarse asphalt. The concrete pavement won't be extended further from the point that it ends now. Between the ending spot pictured and to the south near Fairview Road in Johnson County, the lanes of I-69 will be asphalt. In this particular area, it looks as if two or three more layers of asphalt will be put down. In the background are the girders of the I-69N to I-465W flyover.


Turning around, the view looking south from the Epler Avenue overpass. Just about done here. Another two layers of asphalt, maybe three, will probably do it.


Slightly different perspective, again looking north from Epler.


Longer range shot with the AES Harding Street Station (electrical power) in the background; looking northeast. The station's chimneys are 565 feet tall.


Another look looking south, more specifically southeast, from the Epler Avenue overpass. On the right is the entrance ramp from Epler to I-69 south. I noticed there were no barricades in place to prevent someone from driving down the ramp. Probably a temporary oversight, but still.


Familiar zoomed in shot looking east toward I-465 from the Mann Road overpass. In this area, crews have been putting down an asphalt base layer for the second half of the eastbound roadway. Paving with concrete will soon be forthcoming. As I've noted previously, after the new lanes are completed, probably sometime next month, westbound traffic will be transitioned onto them. Then the current westbound lanes will be ripped up in preparation to reconstruction and widening.


Looking northwest toward a recently installed overhead sign, with a section of the Mann Road overpass visible.


Zoomed in shot looking east toward I-465 from Thompson Road about a half mile east of the Mann Road overpass. Used the tripod and remote shutter to get a sharper focus. Without doing so, just a little twitch causes issues. Zoomed in like this, everything is brought closer and compressed. Although the flyover in the background seems relatively close, it's actually about two miles from where the camera was positioned.


Another view looking northwest toward the Mann Road overpass and entrance ramp to eastbound I-465. As can be expected, drivers zip down the ramp at a good clip.


And here is the flyover with all girders now in place. Before the last few were hoisted and set, the governor and other dignitaries signed one. It was, after all, Governor Holcomb, who set in motion the accelerated construction pace of Section 6, now roaring toward the finish line.

I'm cognizant most of you who follow the project are aware of the locations pictured and have a good understanding of what's going with the construction, whether following the I-69 Finish Line updates or by regularly reading this topic thread. And, yes, I do tend to be repetitious at times. The reason is because there is always the chance new people are only now discovering the project, maybe here or elsewhere, and are wanting to know more. So I tend to add in mundane details from time to time, like "south side of Indianapolis," in an attempt to bring everyone up-to-speed and on the same page.

More photos to come.

[ITB]

Another set. Again, photos were taken Sunday, March 31, 2024.


On the far south side of Marion County, looking north from the Southport Road overpass toward SR 37 and the mainline bridges over Little Buck Creek.


Zoomed in view. While not yet officially I-69, note the shield in the background right.


Turning around, the view looking south from the Southport overpass. Looks like the median barrier wall was recently paved.


Mid-range perspective, again looking south. Around the bend, earthwork is underway to reconstruct and widen the southbound roadway. That area of work only extends about a half mile. After that point, I-69 is all but complete down to Evansville. Also note where the southbound entrance ramp from Southport Road currently comes in, then runs adjacent to the median barrier wall.


Back to the I-465 work zone in Indianapolis, here's the new replacement bridge that will carry eastbound I-465 over S. Meridian Street; looking north. Wasn't it only a couple of months ago that they were tearing down the old bridge? Yes, indeed. To get this new bridge up in that short time frame is stunning. Warp speed, baby.


Looking east toward the I-465 bridges over S. Meridian Street. At this time, all traffic is currently running on the westbound bridge (left). After the eastbound bridge and associated lanes are completed, maybe by June, eastbound traffic will be shifted back, and work will commence on finishing the second part of the westbound bridge.


Turning around, the view looking west. Sticking out of the ground are electrical cables for powering the high mast lighting, sign lighting, and so on.


Concrete barrier wall lifting device on site at the S. Meridian St. work zone. When lifted, the mechanical scissoring action vice grips the concrete wall section; no auxiliary hydraulics are involved.


Closer look of the eastbound bridge; looking northeast.


Another look at the S. Meridian St. work zone, again looking east.


View from the wing wall of the eastbound bridge; looking east.


Long range shot looking south from the Southport Road overpass.


And another view looking north from Southport.


And, finally, one more, a non-zoomed in perspective from the Mann Road overpass.
 

[IndyAgent]

Another set. Again, photos were taken Sunday, March 31, 2024.


On the far south side of Marion County, looking north from the Southport Road overpass toward SR 37 and the mainline bridges over Little Buck Creek.


Zoomed in view. While not yet officially I-69, note the shield in the background right.


Turning around, the view looking south from the Southport overpass. Looks like the median barrier wall was recently paved.


Mid-range perspective, again looking south. Around the bend, earthwork is underway to reconstruct and widen the southbound roadway. That area of work only extends about a half mile. After that point, I-69 is all but complete down to Evansville. Also note where the southbound entrance ramp from Southport Road currently comes in, then runs adjacent to the median barrier wall.


Back to the I-465 work zone in Indianapolis, here's the new replacement bridge that will carry eastbound I-465 over S. Meridian Street; looking north. Wasn't it only a couple of months ago that they were tearing down the old bridge? Yes, indeed. To get this new bridge up in that short time frame is stunning. Warp speed, baby.


Looking east toward the I-465 bridges over S. Meridian Street. At this time, all traffic is currently running on the westbound bridge (left). After the eastbound bridge and associated lanes are completed, maybe by June, eastbound traffic will be shifted back, and work will commence on finishing the second part of the westbound bridge.


Turning around, the view looking west. Sticking out of the ground are electrical cables for powering the high mast lighting, sign lighting, and so on.


Concrete barrier wall lifting device on site at the S. Meridian St. work zone. When lifted, the mechanical scissoring action vice grips the concrete wall section; no auxiliary hydraulics are involved.


Closer look of the eastbound bridge; looking northeast.


Another look at the S. Meridian St. work zone, again looking east.


View from the wing wall of the eastbound bridge; looking east.


Long range shot looking south from the Southport Road overpass.


And another view looking north from Southport.


And, finally, one more, a non-zoomed in perspective from the Mann Road overpass.
 

[Sapphuby]

Big fan of how they're already signing the area as I-69, even though it isn't signed any further north than SR 144 or south of 465 in Fishers, and you can even catch the I-69 milepost just off the Epler exit. Sometimes it's neat to see them handling it so quickly.

[NE2]

Another set. Again, photos were taken Sunday, March 31, 2024.


On the far south side of Marion County, looking north from the Southport Road overpass toward SR 37 and the mainline bridges over Little Buck Creek.


Zoomed in view. While not yet officially I-69, note the shield in the background right.


Turning around, the view looking south from the Southport overpass. Looks like the median barrier wall was recently paved.


Mid-range perspective, again looking south. Around the bend, earthwork is underway to reconstruct and widen the southbound roadway. That area of work only extends about a half mile. After that point, I-69 is all but complete down to Evansville. Also note where the southbound entrance ramp from Southport Road currently comes in, then runs adjacent to the median barrier wall.


Back to the I-465 work zone in Indianapolis, here's the new replacement bridge that will carry eastbound I-465 over S. Meridian Street; looking north. Wasn't it only a couple of months ago that they were tearing down the old bridge? Yes, indeed. To get this new bridge up in that short time frame is stunning. Warp speed, baby.


Looking east toward the I-465 bridges over S. Meridian Street. At this time, all traffic is currently running on the westbound bridge (left). After the eastbound bridge and associated lanes are completed, maybe by June, eastbound traffic will be shifted back, and work will commence on finishing the second part of the westbound bridge.


Turning around, the view looking west. Sticking out of the ground are electrical cables for powering the high mast lighting, sign lighting, and so on.


Concrete barrier wall lifting device on site at the S. Meridian St. work zone. When lifted, the mechanical scissoring action vice grips the concrete wall section; no auxiliary hydraulics are involved.


Closer look of the eastbound bridge; looking northeast.


Another look at the S. Meridian St. work zone, again looking east.


View from the wing wall of the eastbound bridge; looking east.


Long range shot looking south from the Southport Road overpass.


And another view looking north from Southport.


And, finally, one more, a non-zoomed in perspective from the Mann Road overpass.
 

💩

[vdeane]

<snip>

This is what the like button is for.

[Moose]

🚧 TRAFFIC ALERT: SR 37 & SOUTHPORT ROAD EXIT RAMP 🚧
The southbound SR 37 exit ramp to Southport Road is expected to be CLOSED this weekend from Friday, April 12, at 9 p.m. to Monday, April 15, at 4 a.m. The ramp will be closed throughout the weekend to pave and construct the new southbound exit ramp at this location.

[ITB]

So far this April in central Indiana it's been rather wet. We had a lot of rain last week, and now, another major storm front is moving through, again bringing significant amounts of rain. There are flood warnings and watches throughout the state.

The inclement weather has, of course, slowed the pace of construction.

Here's a few recent screenshots from INDOT traffic cameras:


INDOT Traffic Camera
On the southwest side of Indianapolis, looking west toward I-465 and the mainline bridge over Harmon Ditch. In the background right is the eastbound entrance ramp from Mann Road.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Zoomed in view looking east toward I-465 from near the Mann Road overpass. With rebar in place for another section of eastbound roadway, paving will soon get underway ... maybe next week, depending on the weather.


INDOT Traffic Camera
From last night, looking west toward I-465 from near the SR 37/Harding Street interchange; looking west. The westbound entrance ramp from Harding Street is on the right. In the background left, the set of bright lights are vehicles on the eastbound exit ramp to SR 37/Harding Street.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Another rainy night shot, looking east toward the future I-465W to I-69S flyover.

With the large amount of rain recently, the creeks and rivers in central Indiana are now nasty and dangerous. At times like this, the White River, in particular, is especially unsafe, being a swirl of angry torrents. Construction equipment and vehicles can easily be swept away. Clearing weather is forecast for Saturday, but flooding is bound to occur in certain areas for the next several days.

And from April 8th, a trio of shots of post-eclipse traffic:


INDOT Traffic Camera
In Morgan County, looking south toward I-69 from near the Waverly Road overpass. For the most part, traffic was moderate along this stretch as folks returned north from Bloomington and other points south. Of interest, note the empty southbound lanes.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Approaching I-465, there was significant northbound congestion; looking south toward the Southport Road overpass and interchange (deep background).


INDOT Traffic Camera
Turning around, the view looking north. Between this area and I-465, there are two traffic lights — at Epler Avenue and at Thompson Road. Although those lights contributed to the congestion, the real choke point was the signal to turn left from Harding Street to I-465W. At that intersection, only six to 10 vehicles were able to make the turn for each light cycle.   

[Life in Paradise]

What makes things more difficult right now is that many of the lane markings have faded on Harding Street at I-465, so if you are not familiar with the area, it is harder to determine what "lane" you need to be in.  I'm sure that this will be resolved once the project comes to an end, but it will be hard to see for the next months.

[ITB]

More pictures. Initially, the plan was only for a quick look-see of the White River in Martinsville. After I did that I figured I might as well head up the construction zone, which I then did via SR 67. Photos were taken Saturday, April 13, 2024.


For many of you, a familiar shot looking north from the Epler Avenue overpass. When I arrived a paving crew was finishing up for the day. As shown, the travel lanes of the future I-69/I-465 interchange are now paved on the south side of the interchange. The shoulders will probably be paved up in the next two weeks or so.


Different perspective, looking slightly northeast.


Closer look of the paving crew and the newly paved concrete strip. Just finished is the future right travel lane of the ramp from I-465W to I-69S. Seems as if a barrier wall will be needed in the area where the two southbound ramps join to form I-69S.


Mid-range view of the interchange; looking slightly northeast.


Another look at the paving crew as the day winds down. Performing the work is subcontractor, E & B Paving.


Turning around, the view looking southeast from the Epler Avenue overpass. With the roadways nearing completion in this area, not much has changed.


Zoomed in look of the median barrier wall and recently installed mileage marker shields.


Another look north from Epler. In Indianapolis, there was measurable precipitation 10 out of the first 12 days of April. The warm sunny weekend was a welcomed change.


Cropped zoomed in shot from Epler as the paving crew cleans its equipment in preparation for another day of work.


Long range shot from Epler with the AES Harding Street Station in the background. Aside from the occasional vehicle on Epler Avenue, it was a rather quiet scene.


Closer look at the point where I-69N splits into the ramps that will take traffic to I-465.


Another long range shot looking north toward and through the full span structure of the Dynamic Message Sign.


And one more, a long distance view from the Epler overpass.

At the top, I mentioned I went to see the White River in Morgan County. Here's a picture of that bad boy. For a medium-sized river — the 3rd largest in Indiana after the Ohio and Wabash — it sure packs a punch when engorged. Modest flooding has been reported in various areas.


Swollen, muddy, and very dangerous, the White River — technically the west fork of the White River — just before it flows underneath the SR 39 bridge in Martinsville. The current was powerful and fast. If caught up in it, a person or someone inside a vehicle would have little chance of survival. Here, the picture doesn't quite tell the whole story. In person, it was impossible not to sense and respect the water's surging power.

 

[wanderer2575]

Interesting that overhead gantries/cantilevers and their signs are already in place with paving work still ongoing.  I would think that would be about the last thing to be done, to avoid accidentally getting hit by a crane or a hauler with its bed raised.

[I-55]

Interesting that overhead gantries/cantilevers and their signs are already in place with paving work still ongoing.  I would think that would be about the last thing to be done, to avoid accidentally getting hit by a crane or a hauler with its bed raised.

May have been a way to stay on schedule when it was too cold to pave. This way the contractor can still complete work during the winter months

[ITB]

Another set. Again, photos were taken Saturday, April 13, 2014.


On the far south side of Indianapolis, looking north from the Southport Road overpass. At the time the photo was taken, the interchange's southbound exit ramp was closed to facilitate the ramp's realignment. Working nonstop over the weekend, the ramp was completed Sunday night and reopened to traffic.


Zoomed in shot. Cutting across mid-frame is the path of the old, now-closed, exit ramp. The location of that exit was, of course, temporary. The new ramp location, adjacent to sound barrier wall, seems more permanent than not. For those who don't regularly follow the project, I-69 will be four lanes in each direction between the Southport Road interchange and the I-465 interchange to the north. The forth lane will be a collector/distributor, which, southbound, will end as it becomes the exit ramp to Southport Road. Northbound, the situation is reversed with the entrance ramp from Southbound becoming the collector/distributor.


Another perspective of the Southport work zone. On the left is Belmont Road, which intersects with Southport Road and, to the north, Epler Avenue. While significant sections of Belmont have be reconstructed, there a couple of rough patches which are in need of serious repair. On the right is the future southbound mainline bridge over Little Buck Creek.


Zoomed in shot of the work crew. Don't know what exactly they were doing, but I'm pretty sure if I wandered down to ask, the head guy would have been none too pleased. Suffice it to say, they were engaged in road building! And busy they were, as they had a deadline to get the realigned ramp completed by late Sunday night.


Long range shot of the exit ramp and the general construction zone. With the ramp now repositioned, full blown work is now underway on the southbound mainline section between the bridges over Banta Road and Little Buck Creek to the south. It's roughly a quarter mile, so they'll knock it out in short order.


Another mid-range view from the Southport Road overpass. The only remaining work in this area is the short southbound mainline section, mentioned above, and the reconstruction and widening of approximately a half a mile of southbound mainline south of the Southport Road interchange. And that, my friends, is pretty much all there is to completing I-69 between the I-465 interchange and Evansville.


And one more, what the eye sees, looking north from Southport.

Here's a few pictures of the White River after the recent heavy rains. The White River — technically the west fork of the White River — and Interstate 69 have sort of ying-yang connection. Between Indianapolis and Martinsville, to the south, both are situated roughly parallel to each other, with the White River to the west. In northern Morgan County, near Stotts Creek and just to the north, the river's channel is just yards from the southbound lanes. Generally, because of the river's floodplain, there is little development west of I-69 in Morgan and Johnson counties.


Looking northeast toward I-69 and the mainline bridges over Stotts Creek. Although the river looks somewhat placid, it was anything but. The orange barrels are for a slide correction project near the bridges over Crooked Creek — around the bend in the deep background. There, a retaining wall was built into a hillside. Work on that project is now wrapping up.


Just west of Stotts Creek, the view looking north. The river channel is nearest to the roadway.


Longer range shot.


One more long range view, looking northeast. In the background right, note how high Stotts Creek is. That small creek has transformed into a raging torrent.
 
In Martinsville:


The view looking northwest just before the river flows underneath the SR 39 bridge.


And the view from the bridge, looking north.