Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[Pete from Boston]

From the Evansville Courier-Press site, as reprinted from Bloomington Herald-Times:  States face obstacles in effort to complete I-69

Non-Indiana content, but posted here for the photos of I-69 construction at Ind. 37.

[jhuntin1]

Indiana representative John Price is going to try to get the SR-37 corridor back on the table in Perry Township, Indianapolis. Here's the article from the Indianapolis Star: Bill would let I-69 route use Perry Township

[Anthony_JK]

Indiana representative John Price is going to try to get the SR-37 corridor back on the table in Perry Township, Indianapolis.


Here's the article from the Indianapolis Star:


  Bill would let I-69 route use Perry Township

Modified by me slightly to fix the embedded link to the Indy Star article.

[silverback1065]

Ugh why do we have to listen to these idiots in government? Let indot put it on the best route without these fools making up invalid excuses.

[silverback1065]

Wouldn't routing 69 to 70 make these businesses lose customers still? And traffic volumes to decrease on 37 to avoid all the congestion?

[US 41]

At least if 69 went up to 70 it would go by the airport. I always had a feeling 69 would go that way anyways. Why wouldn't you want a NAFTA Superhighway to go by your new international airport? Routing it on 37 would be the better route, but routing it  up to 70 might be the better way to go for international purposes.

[jhuntin1]

Thanks, Anthony. I fixed the link in my original post.

[thefro]

http://indianapublicmedia.org/news/route-final-section-i69-changed-77146/

Update on Section 6's route.  Looks like they're going to be doing a full review of the route.

Indiana Department of Transportation officials say they are keeping their options open when it comes to deciding the route for the final leg of Interstate 69.

When the initial route for I-69 was identified 10 years ago, the interstate's last leg traveled from just south of Martinsville to Indianapolis via State Road 37.

INDOT spokesman Will Wingfield says since then, development and legal concerns have changed.

"So we're going to take a fairly broad view of this corridor between Martinsville and Indianapolis and find the best way to connect I-69 to the rest of the interstate network here in Indiana and do it in a way that minimizes impacts to homes, businesses, to the natural environment and do it in a cost effect way,"  he says.

INDOT is launching a study to determine the environmental impact for the last section of I-69. The entire review process will likely take a two to three years.

Martinsville Mayor Phil Deckard says the news came as a shock.

"We've made so many improvements for our city, working with what we thought was a direction by INDOT, on infrastructure, getting ready to prepare for secondary roads, for access points, land usage and that type of thing,"  he says.

Deckard says he and Martinsville's business leaders will keep reminding INDOT officials of those investments in hopes that the road will be built through the city.

This interview with Bloomington mayor Mark Kruzan says that Tapp Road will be closed in Bloomington starting in March, so that should be the start of the heavy Section 5 construction.

Hren: We've reported on road funding, INDOT asked for at least $100 million per year to fix the state's roads and bridges, are there any big road projects coming up in Bloomington this year?

Kruzan: There are a number of projects, but a lot of them are I-69 related projects. The first thing you'll see is Tapp Road being closed in March. You're going to see a tremendous increase overnight in congestion on existing roads. Then all the bike ped amenities with connectivity between east and west parts of town after I-69 is in and INDOT has been great to work with on that issue. The other huge one for us is Vernal Pike is going to be closed off. An overpass will be built instead of having an intersection.

[silverback1065]

http://indianapublicmedia.org/news/route-final-section-i69-changed-77146/

Update on Section 6's route.  Looks like they're going to be doing a full review of the route.

Indiana Department of Transportation officials say they are keeping their options open when it comes to deciding the route for the final leg of Interstate 69.

When the initial route for I-69 was identified 10 years ago, the interstate's last leg traveled from just south of Martinsville to Indianapolis via State Road 37.

INDOT spokesman Will Wingfield says since then, development and legal concerns have changed.

"So we're going to take a fairly broad view of this corridor between Martinsville and Indianapolis and find the best way to connect I-69 to the rest of the interstate network here in Indiana and do it in a way that minimizes impacts to homes, businesses, to the natural environment and do it in a cost effect way,"  he says.

INDOT is launching a study to determine the environmental impact for the last section of I-69. The entire review process will likely take a two to three years.

Martinsville Mayor Phil Deckard says the news came as a shock.

"We've made so many improvements for our city, working with what we thought was a direction by INDOT, on infrastructure, getting ready to prepare for secondary roads, for access points, land usage and that type of thing,"  he says.

Deckard says he and Martinsville's business leaders will keep reminding INDOT officials of those investments in hopes that the road will be built through the city.

This interview with Bloomington mayor Mark Kruzan says that Tapp Road will be closed in Bloomington starting in March, so that should be the start of the heavy Section 5 construction.

Hren: We've reported on road funding, INDOT asked for at least $100 million per year to fix the state's roads and bridges, are there any big road projects coming up in Bloomington this year?

Kruzan: There are a number of projects, but a lot of them are I-69 related projects. The first thing you'll see is Tapp Road being closed in March. You're going to see a tremendous increase overnight in congestion on existing roads. Then all the bike ped amenities with connectivity between east and west parts of town after I-69 is in and INDOT has been great to work with on that issue. The other huge one for us is Vernal Pike is going to be closed off. An overpass will be built instead of having an intersection.

I hope the martinsville mayor can successfully fight to have the highway stay on 37 like it ought to. I wonder what greenwood has to say about this idea to make it connect to the airport

[thefro]

Bill to allow I-69 to be routed through Perry Township passes through Indiana Roads & Transportation Committee

An Indiana House committee approved a bill today that would clear the way for construction of Interstate 69 through Perry Township.

The 8-1 vote by the Roads and Transportation Committee would override a law passed by the legislature in 2004 that prohibited the route from cutting through the Southside township in Marion County.

The measure now moves to the senate for consideration.

Committee Chairman Ed Soliday R-Valparaiso said the 2004 law violated the state constitution prohibition on lawmakers deciding where roads should be built. That decision should be left to the state department of transportation, he said.

"If we were to pass bills that said where roads could and could not be built this would be endless and we would never get anything done,"  he said.

Good news... with a strong result there I would think this should go on to pass through the whole legislature.

[silverback1065]

Good news.  I also didn't know Interstate 37 went through Indiana.

[tdindy88]

Must be some really long concurrency along I-37 with I-35, I-44, I-64 and I-69, finally connecting San Antonio with Oklahoma City, St. Louis and Evansville.

[US 41]

Didn't you hear the big plan for I-37 to go through the western side of Illinois???

[theline]

I haven't seen any posts about 2 public meetings coming up next week about Section 6 of the project, so here goes. According to the Future I-69 Facebook page:

[(February 20, 2015) "The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) will host two public meetings regarding Interstate 69 Section 6 (Martinsville to Indianapolis). The first meeting will take place on Monday, February 23, 2015 at Center Grove High School, 2717 S. Morgantown Rd. in Greenwood. The second meeting will occur on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at Martinsville High School, 1360 E. Gray St. in Martinsville. Doors will open for both meetings at 5:30 p.m. with an open house session, followed by a formal presentation and public comment session in the high-school auditorium at 6:30 p.m. The meetings will provide information about the scope of the second phase (Tier 2) of a two-part environmental-impact study that began in 1999 to determine a selected route for I-69 Section 6. The second phase, required by federal law, will study the route aligned with State Road 37, which was selected in 2004 during the first phase (Tier 1) of the environmental study. Due to the potential for significant impacts or changed conditions since 2004, this second phase may study a range of different routes. The public may submit comments in advance of the meeting. Those comments can be submitted using the comment form at www.in.gov/indot projects/i69/2463.htm, or by contacting I-69 Section 6 directly at 317-881-6408 or section6pm@indot.in.gov..."quote]

[silverback1065]

I haven't seen any posts about 2 public meetings coming up next week about Section 6 of the project, so here goes. According to the Future I-69 Facebook page:

[(February 20, 2015) "The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) will host two public meetings regarding Interstate 69 Section 6 (Martinsville to Indianapolis). The first meeting will take place on Monday, February 23, 2015 at Center Grove High School, 2717 S. Morgantown Rd. in Greenwood. The second meeting will occur on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at Martinsville High School, 1360 E. Gray St. in Martinsville. Doors will open for both meetings at 5:30 p.m. with an open house session, followed by a formal presentation and public comment session in the high-school auditorium at 6:30 p.m. The meetings will provide information about the scope of the second phase (Tier 2) of a two-part environmental-impact study that began in 1999 to determine a selected route for I-69 Section 6. The second phase, required by federal law, will study the route aligned with State Road 37, which was selected in 2004 during the first phase (Tier 1) of the environmental study. Due to the potential for significant impacts or changed conditions since 2004, this second phase may study a range of different routes. The public may submit comments in advance of the meeting. Those comments can be submitted using the comment form at www.in.gov/indot projects/i69/2463.htm, or by contacting I-69 Section 6 directly at 317-881-6408 or section6pm@indot.in.gov..."quote]

What exactly has changed along 37 that would necessitate a new alignment?

[thefro]

What exactly has changed along 37 that would necessitate a new alignment?

Right now there's a state law on the books banning I-69 going through Perry Township.  That'll hopefully be repealed soon.

They still have to do through the Tier II process to decide on the final alignment, so they're reexamining the route.

[thefro]

Here's a few articles from the first public meeting last night on Section 6:

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2015/02/23/officials-update-public-plan/23900621/
http://fox59.com/2015/02/23/indot-holds-community-meeting-for-i-69-proposal-connecting-martinsville-to-indy/
http://wishtv.com/2015/02/23/i-69-public-hearings-get-underway/

According to INDOT, it's still early in the game – State Road 37 was identified 10 years ago and it still remains to be seen if it's the best route.

"Have there been increased homes and businesses that would be impacted? Are there other changed conditions we need to know about?"  asked INDOT spokesperson Will Wingfield.

INDOT plans to hold several public hearings over the next two to three years on the route known as Section 6. The question, however, is it still the most likely route?

"We can say for certain that State Road 37 will be analyzed – it was the corridor identified in the tier one,"  said Wingfield. "If there are changes or increased impacts, since the decision was issued in 2004, then we may look at corridors outside the alignment."

[silverback1065]

Here's a few articles from the first public meeting last night on Section 6:

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2015/02/23/officials-update-public-plan/23900621/
http://fox59.com/2015/02/23/indot-holds-community-meeting-for-i-69-proposal-connecting-martinsville-to-indy/
http://wishtv.com/2015/02/23/i-69-public-hearings-get-underway/

According to INDOT, it's still early in the game – State Road 37 was identified 10 years ago and it still remains to be seen if it's the best route.

"Have there been increased homes and businesses that would be impacted? Are there other changed conditions we need to know about?"  asked INDOT spokesperson Will Wingfield.

INDOT plans to hold several public hearings over the next two to three years on the route known as Section 6. The question, however, is it still the most likely route?

"We can say for certain that State Road 37 will be analyzed – it was the corridor identified in the tier one,"  said Wingfield. "If there are changes or increased impacts, since the decision was issued in 2004, then we may look at corridors outside the alignment."

I really feel like INDOT is just saying 37 is "just maybe" the best route to not piss off people in perry township, when internally they know it's really the best route. if you overlay 69 on 67 instead it will cost more with another bridge over the white river and the amount of development is different along that corridor.  Not to mention the proximity to 70 where it would tie into 465.  Plus a new terrain route would be way more expensive.  I fail to see how 37 is not the best route out off all alternatives other than NIMBY.

[vdeane]

Wouldn't the cheapest route actually be along the IN 39 corridor to I-70, then overlapping I-70 to I-465?  That route involves at least 10-15 fewer centerline miles of pavement.

[silverback1065]

Wouldn't the cheapest route actually be along the IN 39 corridor to I-70, then overlapping I-70 to I-465?  That route involves at least 10-15 fewer centerline miles of pavement.

Possibly but the white river bridge could cancel most of that out

[tdindy88]

Has anyone driven SR 39 from Monrovia down to Martinsville. It gets pretty hilly pretty quick. Parts of SR 67 north of Martinsville gets hillier than SR 37 north of Martinsville. Basically you're doing parts of Section 4 new terrain over again. My father was talking to me today about an idea he had about just routing the highway east across Johnson County to I-65, which would probably have to be eight lanes up to Indy if the highways are merged. He was looking at a Northern Kentucky scenario with 71/75. Of course, like most here I would guess, I favor leaving it on SR 37. I still don't see how it's any different than the work being done on US 31 up around Westfield.

[silverback1065]

Has anyone driven SR 39 from Monrovia down to Martinsville. It gets pretty hilly pretty quick. Parts of SR 67 north of Martinsville gets hillier than SR 37 north of Martinsville. Basically you're doing parts of Section 4 new terrain over again. My father was talking to me today about an idea he had about just routing the highway east across Johnson County to I-65, which would probably have to be eight lanes up to Indy if the highways are merged. He was looking at a Northern Kentucky scenario with 71/75. Of course, like most here I would guess, I favor leaving it on SR 37. I still don't see how it's any different than the work being done on US 31 up around Westfield.

It isn't the only difference is the people and businesses along 31 wanted the highway with very very few being against it.

[thefro]

Wouldn't the cheapest route actually be along the IN 39 corridor to I-70, then overlapping I-70 to I-465?  That route involves at least 10-15 fewer centerline miles of pavement.

SR 39 is a 2-lane road after SR 67 splits off whereas SR 37 is already an expressway.  You'd basically be doing a new terrain interstate through that stretch as I doubt much of the existing road could be reused (as tdindy mentions, it's hilly).

Has anyone driven SR 39 from Monrovia down to Martinsville. It gets pretty hilly pretty quick. Parts of SR 67 north of Martinsville gets hillier than SR 37 north of Martinsville. Basically you're doing parts of Section 4 new terrain over again. My father was talking to me today about an idea he had about just routing the highway east across Johnson County to I-65, which would probably have to be eight lanes up to Indy if the highways are merged. He was looking at a Northern Kentucky scenario with 71/75. Of course, like most here I would guess, I favor leaving it on SR 37. I still don't see how it's any different than the work being done on US 31 up around Westfield.

You'd probably have to cut through south of Franklin as US 31 is heavily developed from Franklin all the way through to Indianapolis.  There's about a half mile of farmland in between the outskirts of Whiteland and the outskirts of Franklin.

[vdeane]

How would they deal with the at-grades and private driveways on IN 37?  Being from NY, new terrain interstate construction is the ONLY kind of interstate construction I'm familiar with.

[silverback1065]

How would they deal with the at-grades and private driveways on IN 37?  Being from NY, new terrain interstate construction is the ONLY kind of interstate construction I'm familiar with.

i would think they would create frontage roads