Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[ITB]

INDOT has updated its Eighteen Month Letting List. Several new Section 6 contracts have been listed with lettings in 2020.

INDOT Eighteen Month Letting List(July 2019 through December 2020) Updated: August 15, 2019 (Link below)

INTERSTATE 69 Contracts










Link: INDOT Eighteen Month Letting List Search: https://entapps.indot.in.gov/lettings/default.aspx?view=contractor  Note: To search I-69 projects, select PR 69 under the Select Roads column.
 
Map – Section 6

[X99]

How's construction on the Grand Valley Blvd bridge progressing?

[tdindy88]

I just drove by there today, the approach from the west side of the bridge, near Martinsville High School is coming up and there's plenty of earth moved around the site, but no bridge supports elsewhere nor bridge deck made. So unless you looked really closely you can't see a bridge yet. The rest of Section 5 though is a sight to see in terms of interstate, traffic looks to be finally going interstate speed limits along that highway (they felt slow the last time I went through there, maybe it was just me though.)

I was happy to see the contact up for the Martinsville segment, I was looking at the signage plans for that stretch of road. Some observations:

-Three new exit numbers: Exit 137-SR 39, Exit 138-Ohio St/Mahalasville Rd, and Exit 140 SR 44/252

-For Exit 137, there's no mention of SR 39 going to SR 67 like there is today

-For Exit 140, the exit is signed only with the highway shields and Reuben Drive and Hospital Drive. There is no mention of 252 going to Morgantown and 44 going to Franklin like there is today. Even an auxiliary sign would be nice.

-Control cities are clearly Indianapolis and Evansville, also there is no mention of SR 37 at all

-Also there are distance signs both north and south of Martinsville. Distances to Liberty Church Road, Bloomington and Evansville going south, distances to Henderson Ford Road and Indianapolis going north.

-The signage style is similar to that of Section 5, which to me is the best signed part of the entire interstate extension. I hope they eventually add some mileage signs on the rest of the highway south to Evansville plus add the Indianapolis control city for northbound I-69 signs. I'm probably a little obsessive over this point but I really wish the rest of I-69 were up to snuff like Section 5 is. Except for those godawful blue mile markers.

[abqtraveler]

Looking at the project list above, I noticed that the I-69/I-465 interchange is not yet listed.  I'm guessing that they are either listing that interchange as an I-465 project along with other future contract lettings to rebuild and widen the southern leg of I-465, or the interchange project is out beyond 18 months?

[ITB]

Looking at the project list above, I noticed that the I-69/I-465 interchange is not yet listed.  I'm guessing that they are either listing that interchange as an I-465 project along with other future contract lettings to rebuild and widen the southern leg of I-465, or the interchange project is out beyond 18 months?

It appears the contract for I-69/I-465 interchange project, along with the added travel lanes and improvements to I-465 between Mann Road and East Street, will be let early in 2021. That's just a guess. But as INDOT has been tasked with getting Section 6 completed by 2024/25, they have to get moving on the I-69/I-465 project sooner rather than later, as it will be a complex build, undoubtedly, which may take upwards of 30 to 36 months to reach substantial completion. That's another guess-estimate on my part, and I'm no expert, so bear that in mind.

Design of the I-69/I-465 Interchange

[silverback1065]

That interchange isn't even close to being done with design, that's why it's not showing up.

[edwaleni]

I would love it if in the excavation work they find remnants from the Central Canal.  It was dug and watered as far as Waverly/Port Royal before Indiana went broke.

It was abandoned shortly after in 1870. Filled in in certain places, railroads built on the towpath or left to silt over. But many of the wooden locks were simply left behind.

The Indiana Railroad is on top of it south of the metro where it used to come down Missouri Street, but it had its own path the rest of the way.

Port Royal doesn't exist anymore, but it was considered to be the state capitol. Waverly was a big grain processing center and it was hoped the canal would move that grain to Indianapolis.

You just never know what I-69 might uncover. I had emailed the I-69 project manager to look out for a lost cemetery where I-69 crosses the Patoka River. Many Irish canal workers for the Wabash & Erie died of typhoid while digging in the Patoka swamps.  Many were unmarked mass graves with lime thrown on top to stop the disease from spreading.  You can still see the Wabash & Erie canal just north of mile marker 37.5 on the east side.

[abqtraveler]

That interchange isn't even close to being done with design, that's why it's not showing up.

With that, I find it doubtful that the I-69/I-465 interchamge will be completed by 2024. To get it built in that time, the interchange contract should be ready to let either this year or next at the very latest. So maybe 2027 we'll see I-69 fully done.

[Ryctor2018]

Will the interchange project be design-build? There is still time to have this completed in 5 yrs if there are no complications

[silverback1065]

No it's not

[ITB]

That interchange isn't even close to being done with design, that's why it's not showing up.

With that, I find it doubtful that the I-69/I-465 interchamge will be completed by 2024. To get it built in that time, the interchange contract should be ready to let either this year or next at the very latest. So maybe 2027 we'll see I-69 fully done.

2027? Nah. In all likelihood, the I-69/I-465 interchange project will let early in 2021, with work getting underway soon afterwards. That will provide more than enough time to get the interchange and associated projects completed by 2025. Generally, state road projects in Indiana are completed on time and within budget. There are blips, of course, and not every project goes smoothly. Sometimes contractors screw up or under perform. INDOT got zinged on the Section 5 3P deal. But the department, in a testy mood, firmly retook control and brought in heavyweight Walsh Construction to straighten things out, which it did, completing the project in short order. While there may be a hiccup or two, INDOT undoubtedly will go the extra mile to ensure Section 6 proceeds smoothly. And it's a good bet, too, Walsh will be heavily involved in building major parts of Section 6.

Will the interchange project be design-build? There is still time to have this completed in 5 yrs if there are no complications

As Silverback noted, it's not. Everything appears to be proceeding normally with the design process and the letting of contracts. One major contact will be let in 2019, followed by three in 2020. Another three or four will follow in 2021. That should do it for contracts. In the spring of 2020, full blown construction on the Martinsville segment will be underway. By summer, several new overpasses in Morgan County will be under construction. And by the spring of 2021, extensive work will be ongoing at several locations along the 26 miles of Section 6. Then comes the year 2022, when virtually the entire route, to one degree or another, will be under construction.

[silverback1065]

That interchange isn't even close to being done with design, that's why it's not showing up.

With that, I find it doubtful that the I-69/I-465 interchamge will be completed by 2024. To get it built in that time, the interchange contract should be ready to let either this year or next at the very latest. So maybe 2027 we'll see I-69 fully done.

2027? Nah. In all likelihood, the I-69/I-465 interchange project will let early in 2021, with work getting underway soon afterwards. That will provide more than enough time to get the interchange and associated projects completed by 2025. Generally, state road projects in Indiana are completed on time and within budget. There are blips, of course, and not every project goes smoothly. Sometimes contractors screw up or under perform. INDOT got zinged on the Section 5 3P deal. But the department, in a testy mood, firmly retook control and brought in heavyweight Walsh Construction to straighten things out, which it did, completing the project in short order. While there may be a hiccup or two, INDOT undoubtedly will go the extra mile to ensure Section 6 proceeds smoothly. And it's a good bet, too, Walsh will be heavily involved in building major parts of Section 6.

Will the interchange project be design-build? There is still time to have this completed in 5 yrs if there are no complications

As Silverback noted, it's not. Everything appears to be proceeding normally with the design process and the letting of contracts. One major contact will be let in 2019, followed by three in 2020. Another three or four will follow in 2021. That should do it for contracts. In the spring of 2020, full blown construction on the Martinsville segment will be underway. By summer, several new overpasses in Morgan County will be under construction. And by the spring of 2021, extensive work will be ongoing at several locations along the 26 miles of Section 6. Then comes the year 2022, when virtually the entire route, to one degree or another, will be under construction.

i believe the whole thing will be done by like 2023ish I can't remember the specific year.  I believe next year a tree clearing contract will be let.  I know a sign contract for 465 will happen near the end to sign 69 on 465.

[abqtraveler]

Has INDOT decided on which section of I-465 that I-69 will follow: north/west leg, or south/east leg?

[tdindy88]

I don't know if it's ever been officially confirmed but it will very likely follow the south/east leg. The same stretch that SR 37 currently follows. Of course to most of us in Indy it will still just be 465. 

[hoosierguy]

So part of 465 will carry two interstates in a few years- 69 and 74. Is there a comparable setup somewhere else in the country? Not that I know of.

[tdindy88]

Milwaukee as I-894, I-41 and I-43 on its southern leg.

[GreenLanternCorps]

Milwaukee as I-894, I-41 and I-43 on its southern leg.

And 39, 90, 94...

https://www.aaroads.com/guides/i-039-090-094-north-wi/

[FightingIrish]

Given that IN has that system in place with a mileage cap on signed highways, decommissioning IN 37 along I-69 is not exactly a surprise.

Would there be any usefulness in redesignating IN-37 as US-37?  It would appear to fit nicely into the US route grid.

US routes are still basically state routes.

[tdindy88]

Curious question speaking of the upcoming decommissioning of SR 37 along I-69. Why does SR 67 get to be multiplexed along I-465, US 36, SR 9 and then I-69 from the southwest side of Indianapolis up to Daleville? I'm just curious, INDOT could honestly make SR 67 two different segments: Vincennes to Indy and Daleville to Ohio.

[ilpt4u]

Milwaukee as I-894, I-41 and I-43 on its southern leg.

The Poplar Street Bridge across the Mississippi from E St Louis to St Louis used to carry I-70, I-64, and I-55. I-70 has since been rerouted onto the newer Stan Musial Bridge, slightly upriver

[mgk920]

Milwaukee as I-894, I-41 and I-43 on its southern leg.

The Poplar Street Bridge across the Mississippi from E St Louis to St Louis used to carry I-70, I-64, and I-55. I-70 has since been rerouted onto the newer Stan Musial Bridge, slightly upriver

But the I-41/43/894 thing in Milwaukee is currently the only place where there are two 2DIs and a 3DI on the same roadway.

Mike

[sprjus4]

I just drove by there today, the approach from the west side of the bridge, near Martinsville High School is coming up and there's plenty of earth moved around the site, but no bridge supports elsewhere nor bridge deck made. So unless you looked really closely you can't see a bridge yet. The rest of Section 5 though is a sight to see in terms of interstate, traffic looks to be finally going interstate speed limits along that highway (they felt slow the last time I went through there, maybe it was just me though.)

I was happy to see the contact up for the Martinsville segment, I was looking at the signage plans for that stretch of road. Some observations:

-Three new exit numbers: Exit 137-SR 39, Exit 138-Ohio St/Mahalasville Rd, and Exit 140 SR 44/252

-For Exit 137, there's no mention of SR 39 going to SR 67 like there is today

-For Exit 140, the exit is signed only with the highway shields and Reuben Drive and Hospital Drive. There is no mention of 252 going to Morgantown and 44 going to Franklin like there is today. Even an auxiliary sign would be nice.

-Control cities are clearly Indianapolis and Evansville, also there is no mention of SR 37 at all

-Also there are distance signs both north and south of Martinsville. Distances to Liberty Church Road, Bloomington and Evansville going south, distances to Henderson Ford Road and Indianapolis going north.

-The signage style is similar to that of Section 5, which to me is the best signed part of the entire interstate extension. I hope they eventually add some mileage signs on the rest of the highway south to Evansville plus add the Indianapolis control city for northbound I-69 signs. I'm probably a little obsessive over this point but I really wish the rest of I-69 were up to snuff like Section 5 is. Except for those godawful blue mile markers.

Where did you see the signage plans?

[Henry]

So part of 465 will carry two interstates in a few years- 69 and 74. Is there a comparable setup somewhere else in the country? Not that I know of.

And not only that, both of I-465's junctions at I-70, as well as the southern junction at I-65, will have at least one 2di riding along it: I-69 to the east, and I-74 to the west, not to mention both on the south side.

[tdindy88]

Where did you see the signage plans?

Go to the following website: https://erms.indot.in.gov/viewdocs/
Then in the spot where you put in the contract number enter 33493
Then click on Find Documents
On the next screen, click on Plan/Drawing Sets
This opens up three "pages" where there's a total of 28 plans/drawing sets, go to page two and select the third one listed and click Select File

This should pull up the file with the signage plans. There's a lot of plans on this site though, you can look up just about every aspect of the construction.

I just noticed something else on the signage plans. It appears that there is a 65 mile per hour speed limit through Martinsville and that speed limits remains north of Martinsville. I wonder if it will be 65 all the way to Indy (or most of the way, before it drops to you know 55?)

[sprjus4]

I just noticed something else on the signage plans. It appears that there is a 65 mile per hour speed limit through Martinsville and that speed limits remains north of Martinsville. I wonder if it will be 65 all the way to Indy (or most of the way, before it drops to you know 55?)

I would expect more like 55 mph through Martinsville if the absurdly low 55 mph through Bloomington is any indication.

IMO, I'm fine with 65 mph through Martinsville (and quite frankly they should bump it to 65 mph through Bloomington) though it should bump back to 70 mph north of there. Around Smith Valley is where it could drop to 65 mph and down to 55 mph once it reaches I-465 (though arguably I-465 could be 60 - 65 mph as well, but that's a different topic)

I-65 doesn't drop to 65 mph until it reaches Greenwood, around the same area.