Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[silverback1065]

I'm not sure why they bothered to keep I-164 at all.  Just take the small bit west of US 41 off the interstate system.  Or at least renumber it to I-169 (though I'd rather not; I'm not happy about NY losing the distinction of having the smallest interstate to Indiana).

You know they're itching to turn that stub into US 41

[english si]

I-164/9 would get longer when the Ohio river bridge opens, diverting I-69 to the east.

[silverback1065]

I'm pretty sure it will become 169 eventually

[tdindy88]

I viewed the sign plans for this project a while ago and I don't recall seeing any I-164 signs remaining, including west of US 41, I believe the entire highway is gone (or will be.) So I believe NY is safe with their shortest interstate. What I wasn't happy to see when the sign plans was a lack of control city at the various I-164 interchanges. Although it will be at least another year before it becomes a more-or-less reality, I'd love to see Indianapolis on the highway signs at the interchange with I-69 and the Lloyd.

[jnewkirk77]

As far as INDOT has been concerned, the westernmost six-tenths of a mile might have been numbered as I-164, but the end has been signed where Exit 0 peels off to the C/D ramp to 41 and Kentucky Ave. That's where the yellow "Ends I-164" overhead is located. (I don't know why it's "ends" and not "end". It's been that way for several years.)

[jnewkirk77]

I'm pretty sure it will become 169 eventually

The way INDOT has been decommissioning and rerouting roads, don't be surprised if they don't try to send 41 around I-69 and I-64 and turn what's now 41 between the two over to Evansville and Vanderburgh County.  I don't see a "169" in Evansville's future.

[NE2]

I viewed the sign plans for this project a while ago and I don't recall seeing any I-164 signs remaining, including west of US 41, I believe the entire highway is gone (or will be.) So I believe NY is safe with their shortest interstate.

I-878 is unsigned...

[Pete from Boston]

I'm pretty sure it will become 169 eventually

The way INDOT has been decommissioning and rerouting roads, don't be surprised if they don't try to send 41 around I-69 and I-64 and turn what's now 41 between the two over to Evansville and Vanderburgh County.  I don't see a "169" in Evansville's future.

People in Evansville still frequently refer to "Old 41."  Will current 41 become "Less Old 41," or will Kentucky Ave become "Really Old 41"?

[tdindy88]

I believe I've heard, and it's probably written somewhere on this forum, there is (or was) a plan to reroute 41 onto Now!I-69. But now that you mentioned it, I really want to see a street blade with "Less Old 41!"

[jnewkirk77]

I'm pretty sure it will become 169 eventually

The way INDOT has been decommissioning and rerouting roads, don't be surprised if they don't try to send 41 around I-69 and I-64 and turn what's now 41 between the two over to Evansville and Vanderburgh County.  I don't see a "169" in Evansville's future.

People in Evansville still frequently refer to "Old 41."  Will current 41 become "Less Old 41," or will Kentucky Ave become "Really Old 41"?

Yes, but less so than they used to. Indeed, it was sort of odd when Diamond Ave. was last redone, the signs at Fares Ave. (Old 41 North) no longer reference Fares at all ... They read "Old Business 41"!  Even local media now refers to it as such. And quite honestly, I can understand why the name game is being played. Fares has had, and still does, a rough reputation for crime and prostitution. Not that a name change does anything to fix that, though!

[Pete from Boston]

Then I guess there can be "Old Business 41," "New Business 41," and (wait for it) "Reading of the Minutes 41"!

[andy]

Then I guess there can be "Old Business 41," "New Business 41," and (wait for it) "Reading of the Minutes 41"!

Next, I move we table 41.

[andy]

Another article about the SR 37 v.s. I-70 approach to section 6.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/i69/legislator-may-revive-debate-over-where-last-phase-of-i69-enters-indianapolis-area_71397484

[silverback1065]

Another article about the SR 37 v.s. I-70 approach to section 6.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/i69/legislator-may-revive-debate-over-where-last-phase-of-i69-enters-indianapolis-area_71397484

Let's hope indot finds a way to break that stupid law and put it where it belongs on 37

[tdindy88]

Bored at the moment so I looked at I-69 on the map. When Section 4 opens up next year, you'll be able to go from Harding Street and Oliver Street (just north of I-70) in Indianapolis all the way to the intersection of Kratzville Road and First Avenue on the north side of Evansville without ever getting off the road, considering how I-69 curves around Evansville and becomes Veterans Memorial Parkway and Fulton Avenue.

[jhuntin1]

Another article about the SR 37 v.s. I-70 approach to section 6.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/i69/legislator-may-revive-debate-over-where-last-phase-of-i69-enters-indianapolis-area_71397484

Andy, since most of us aren't subscribers, could you give us the highlights of the article, or at least who the legislator is and what he thinks he can do? If I remember correctly, the original legislator who fought so hard to keep I-69 out of Perry Township, Senator Borst, hasn't been in office for years now.

[andy]

Another article about the SR 37 v.s. I-70 approach to section 6.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/i69/legislator-may-revive-debate-over-where-last-phase-of-i69-enters-indianapolis-area_71397484

Andy, since most of us aren't subscribers, could you give us the highlights of the article, or at least who the legislator is and what he thinks he can do? If I remember correctly, the original legislator who fought so hard to keep I-69 out of Perry Township, Senator Borst, hasn't been in office for years now.

Sorry about that, when I posted it was open. I'll not trust them to keep things open again. Here is the same article from Indiana Economic Digest;
http://indianaeconomicdigest.com/main.asp?SectionID=31&SubSectionID=66&ArticleID=77288

Chelsea Schneider, Evansville Courier & Press Statehouse Reporter

INDIANAPOLIS – A Central Indiana lawmaker is planning to propose legislation next year that could reignite debate on the route of the final section of the Interstate 69 expansion.
The sixth section will extend the road north from Martinsville to Indianapolis, but a law passed in 2006 restricts it from entering Indianapolis' Perry Township. State Rep. John Price, a Greenwood Republican, said this week he's exploring introducing legislation as a way to review the route because of what he believes are the economic development benefits of the road following the Indiana 37 corridor in Johnson County, which is immediately south of Perry Township.

Price, a longtime county official before winning election to the Indiana House in 2012, said the county has worked to add water and utility infrastructure along Indiana 37 to support the road. The fifth section, which is in the initial phases of construction, is updating the existing Indiana 37 corridor from Bloomington up to Martinsville. However, a state senator whose district covers a portion of Perry Township led an effort for the ban in 2006 because of concerns of the road entering a more developed area of Indiana 37 and tying into a busy Interstate 465 interchange.

State Sen. Pat Miller, an Indianapolis Republican, said she would oppose efforts of lifting the ban in Perry Township. Miller said she wants the road to go west of the suburban township and tie into Interstate 70, which she said already has the lanes to handle an influx of I-69 traffic.

"I expect (the Indiana Department of Transportation) to follow the law,"  Miller said.

Price said he's looking for a compromise, and he's open to options in hopes of alleviating any roadblocks to the road going through Johnson County. Discussions could include releasing a portion of the township from the ban, Price said, while still balancing the concerns of lawmakers who worked to put in the restriction. Price said he's open to the road taking a western route as it heads more north into the Indianapolis area.

"A lot of money has been spent in Johnson County in preparation for (I-69.) It would be a shame to see it go away from here without putting up a good fight for this area,"  Price said, "and that's what I plan to do."

An initial study of the sixth section of the project explored a route that would follow Indiana 37 to I-465. However, INDOT is beginning a second environmental study, which is a step in the process of determining the final route for the sixth section.

INDOT spokesman Will Wingfield said the study will perform a new analysis of options for the route. The state has not identified funding to construct the sixth section of the project. The fifth section is being funded through a public-private partnership and is set to open in October 2016.

"INDOT will work to advance the alignment identified in the Tier 2 review that minimizes impacts to the natural and human environment, including the project cost,"  Wingfield said in a released statement.

On another line of conversation, I came through Evansville this evening.  Looks like much of the re-labelling is done.  Most BGSs have a new decal over the old shield and the difference of reflectivity is extremely noticeable.

[jhuntin1]

Thanks for posting that, Andy. As a Johnson County resident I can appreciate Price's efforts to help the county economically, but he'll have to move Heaven and Earth to convince the Perry Township people that it's a good idea. I believe there is a corridor that would work for the highway to split off of SR37 and come north somewhere between Harding St. and Mann Road that would require minimal relocation, but that's me working from memory.

[tdindy88]

Part of the space in between SR 37 and Mann Road, the part that hasn't been developed might be part of a flood plain for White River. While I am all for the effort of Greenwood to get the entire SR 37 corridor back to being I-69, I bet the straw argument from western Perry Township to Greenwood is that there's little to nothing west of SR 37 in Johnson County, except for that flood plain.

As for the new I-69 signage in Evansville. I have a feeling I know the answer but, were there any new control cities for the highway there. For years now I've wanted to see Indianapolis for northbound I-69 (I-164) and Henderson, perhaps Memphis, for southbound traffic. Maybe now isn't the time with parts of the highway not being complete, but eventually it would be nice.

[jnewkirk77]

Part of the space in between SR 37 and Mann Road, the part that hasn't been developed might be part of a flood plain for White River. While I am all for the effort of Greenwood to get the entire SR 37 corridor back to being I-69, I bet the straw argument from western Perry Township to Greenwood is that there's little to nothing west of SR 37 in Johnson County, except for that flood plain.

As for the new I-69 signage in Evansville. I have a feeling I know the answer but, were there any new control cities for the highway there. For years now I've wanted to see Indianapolis for northbound I-69 (I-164) and Henderson, perhaps Memphis, for southbound traffic. Maybe now isn't the time with parts of the highway not being complete, but eventually it would be nice.

If memory serves, they were just retrofitting the existing BGSs, which had no control city southbound and "To I-64" northbound. My guess is that they'll hold off on adding those until the next full replacement project. I wouldn't count on Memphis being listed any time soon.

[silverback1065]

You'll see Memphis after the ohio river bridge

[NE2]

You'll see Memphis after the ohio river bridge

[citation needed]

[SSF]

there are still 164 signs in Evansville, i have pictorial evidence of it heh.

they are west of 41.

[andy]

I was only in the area of Lynch and Morgan, so no detailed report on all the signage.

As for control cities I did not see Indianapolis posted.  I personally don't expect to see Indianapolis being posted until after I69 is opened to Bloomington.

[tdindy88]

I figured as much. I really hope they aren't going to leave any 164 signs up west of US 41, especially after that touching obituary.