Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[tdindy88]

It should be six lanes up to Sample Road.

[US 41]

It should be six lanes up to Sample Road.

My guess is that I-69 will eventually be 6 lanes entirely between Bloomington and Indianapolis. There is going to be a lot of traffic out there when 69 is finished. They are already talking about widening 70 and 65 across the state. IMO widening 69 (existing 37) should be a higher priority just because of how close Bloomington, Martinsville, and Indy are to each other. 

[silverback1065]

It should be six lanes up to Sample Road.

My guess is that I-69 will eventually be 6 lanes entirely between Bloomington and Indianapolis. There is going to be a lot of traffic out there when 69 is finished. They are already talking about widening 70 and 65 across the state. IMO widening 69 (existing 37) should be a higher priority just because of how close Bloomington, Martinsville, and Indy are to each other.

I personally think 65 is the most important, but is this the only section currently planned to be 6 lanes at the start for 69?

[US 41]

It should be six lanes up to Sample Road.

My guess is that I-69 will eventually be 6 lanes entirely between Bloomington and Indianapolis. There is going to be a lot of traffic out there when 69 is finished. They are already talking about widening 70 and 65 across the state. IMO widening 69 (existing 37) should be a higher priority just because of how close Bloomington, Martinsville, and Indy are to each other.

I personally think 65 is the most important, but is this the only section currently planned to be 6 lanes at the start for 69?

I believe so at least for this section (5). I have no idea about section 6. I also had no idea they were putting up roundabouts at the Fullerton Pike and Tapp Road interchanges. I'm a little surprised about the sound barriers too. I also heard that the City of Bloomington wants to connect Gordon Pike to Fullerton Pike. IF that happens the road will change names 4 times across the city. The city may also want to invest in traffic signals at the Leonard Springs / Tapp intersection and the Leonard  Springs / Fullerton intersection.

[silverback1065]

I wonder if the state actually wanted to put 2 exits between SR 45 and the split with 37&69 or was that more Bloomington's idea?

[IndyAgent]

Its been since May 11th since they updated the construction progress on Indy.gov

Does anyone know of another site that is more up to date?

[US 41]

I wonder if the state actually wanted to put 2 exits between SR 45 and the split with 37&69 or was that more Bloomington's idea?

I think they put the one at Tapp Rd. just so people in Bloomington would shut up about the project in general. At Fullerton they pretty much had to because of a small hospital being located there.

Here's a question for someone. Are they going to leave the 45 interchange alone now and not convert it to a split diamond?

[silverback1065]

I don't really see why anything needs to be done to those existing interchanges.

[tdindy88]

I think the SR 45 exit is remaining as it is, though the split diamond interchange was originally INDOT's idea. The public-private partnership people actually doing the work on the interstate were the ones who suggested leaving that interchange along with auxiliary lanes connecting the SR 45 ramps from the south with Tapp Road. They were also the ones who suggested making 69 six lanes from the split with 37 up to Sample Road as INDOT wanted to leave it four lanes except for a small part from SR 48 to SR 45. Finally, they were the ones who suggested the roundabout interchanges at Fullerton, Tapp and Sample Roads and on sprucing up the overpasses around Bloomington to look nice. Likewise I believe the sound barrier walls were also their idea. I got to say, I like this group.

If Section 6 remains on 37 I definitely see the highway being six lanes from SR 144 north to I-465 with perhaps eight lanes from Southport Road north. As for the possible stoplights in Bloomington, I see them putting roundabouts first before stoplights. On a more interstesting note (I may have stated this somewhere else before) but if you travel west on "West" Leonard Springs Road west from SR 37 toward SR 45 you'll see the road intersect with "South" Leonard Springs Road. Streets in Bloomington....

[thefro]

Its been since May 11th since they updated the construction progress on Indy.gov

Does anyone know of another site that is more up to date?

Nope, that's as up to date as we get.  They randomly update once a month whenever they feel like it.  I do think we'll get an update before July 4th at least.

I think the SR 45 exit is remaining as it is, though the split diamond interchange was originally INDOT's idea. The public-private partnership people actually doing the work on the interstate were the ones who suggested leaving that interchange along with auxiliary lanes connecting the SR 45 ramps from the south with Tapp Road. They were also the ones who suggested making 69 six lanes from the split with 37 up to Sample Road as INDOT wanted to leave it four lanes except for a small part from SR 48 to SR 45. Finally, they were the ones who suggested the roundabout interchanges at Fullerton, Tapp and Sample Roads and on sprucing up the overpasses around Bloomington to look nice. Likewise I believe the sound barrier walls were also their idea. I got to say, I like this group.

Agreed, I've been really impressed with their plans and the smart design changes they've made.  The other big benefit of adding the additional lanes now is they can keep 4 lanes of traffic open in Bloomington during the construction.  Using the roundabouts on those exits should make them safer and cheaper to build.  It reminds to be seen if it will work out for the state financially over the 35 year contract but I think it's been a big win from a design standpoint thus far.

They posted some great new design documents a couple months ago that I just noticed today
http://proi-69s5.rhcloud.com/doc/DesignDetails_Board%201_041415_V6.pdf
http://proi-69s5.rhcloud.com/doc/DesignDetails_Board%202_041415_V5.pdf
http://proi-69s5.rhcloud.com/doc/DesignDetails_Board%203_041415_V5.compressed.pdf

And here is the new construction overview from April of this year
http://proi-69s5.rhcloud.com/doc/I-69_Construction_Overview_v7_031915.pdf

[IndyAgent]

I know we have the exit numbers from Crane to Liberty Church Road (With the exception of SR 54)

Anyone have a guess on what the exit numbers will be for SR 44 and 252, Waverly Road, County Line, Smith Valley  and Southport Road?

[jnewkirk77]

I know we have the exit numbers from Crane to Liberty Church Road (With the exception of SR 54)

Anyone have a guess on what the exit numbers will be for SR 44 and 252, Waverly Road, County Line, Smith Valley  and Southport Road?

There is no exit at 54.  There's the one at 45, then 445, and the 37 split.  Plus it's probably too early to tell what #s will be in Sec. 6 until they decide for absolutely sure which way the road's going to go.  On the off chance it splits off and is built up toward I-70, your question would be moot anyway.

[silverback1065]

SR 54 didn't get an exit to save money, in the future though, they could add one there.  Driving down to Bloomington, I've noticed a lot of signs saying things like: "waters of U.S." and "Karst Feature", what is the purpose of theses signs?  Are they like the "wild flowers do not mow" signs basically saying do not touch these areas during construction?

[IndyAgent]

Since I brought it up

Liberty Church Road is 134 and is 26.4 miles from Southport road so Southport road would most likely be exit 160

its 18.8 miles from LC Road to Waverly SR 144 so that would most likely be 153

465 is about 2.4 miles Southport but since it most likely will veer west near Epler the ramp at 465 would be ~ 163-164 and the spot where 69/465 hits 69 on the north east side should be exit 184 but that of course its 200 due to the simplifying of the exit numbers

[mukade]

SR 54 didn't get an exit to save money, in the future though, they could add one there.  Driving down to Bloomington, I've noticed a lot of signs saying things like: "waters of U.S." and "Karst Feature", what is the purpose of theses signs?  Are they like the "wild flowers do not mow" signs basically saying do not touch these areas during construction?

I don't think SR 54 was ever slated to get an interchange. The I-69 overpass over the highway is very high and the land there is very rugged. I suppose an interchange could go in there, but it would be very costly to build.

That said, I know at least one interchange in Daviess County and one in Pike County were deferred. 

[tdindy88]

I'd assume that the SR 54 overpass is probably a mile or so away from the new SR 45 interchange and isn't that distance considered too short (or at the bare minimum) for exits in a rural area. That and even from 54, one could connect to the interstate via SR 45 and SR 445 with relative ease. Finally, the highway travels more so in a southeast to northwest direction from Bedford to Bloomfield, traffic along that highway I would guess would not need I-69 too much.

[andy]

I'd assume that the SR 54 overpass is probably a mile or so away from the new SR 45 interchange and isn't that distance considered too short (or at the bare minimum) for exits in a rural area. That and even from 54, one could connect to the interstate via SR 45 and SR 445 with relative ease. Finally, the highway travels more so in a southeast to northwest direction from Bedford to Bloomfield, traffic along that highway I would guess would not need I-69 too much.

I agree the reason for no SR54 exit is as you speculate.  Way too close by I69 miles.  Curiously though, it is a long drive (highway miles) from the overpass of SR54 and I69 to either the SR445 or SR45 exchanges.  I expect (pure speculation) there will be a county road built (or improved) parallel from SR 54 to near the SR45 exchange. Otherwise the most direct route from Bedford to I69 south will require staying on SR58 to the US231 exchange.

[thefro]

I'd assume that the SR 54 overpass is probably a mile or so away from the new SR 45 interchange and isn't that distance considered too short (or at the bare minimum) for exits in a rural area. That and even from 54, one could connect to the interstate via SR 45 and SR 445 with relative ease. Finally, the highway travels more so in a southeast to northwest direction from Bedford to Bloomfield, traffic along that highway I would guess would not need I-69 too much.

I agree the reason for no SR54 exit is as you speculate.  Way too close by I69 miles.  Curiously though, it is a long drive (highway miles) from the overpass of SR54 and I69 to either the SR445 or SR45 exchanges.  I expect (pure speculation) there will be a county road built (or improved) parallel from SR 54 to near the SR45 exchange. Otherwise the most direct route from Bedford to I69 south will require staying on SR58 to the US231 exchange.

My guess is most people from Bedford will take US 50 to I-69 south.  It's less mileage for everyone in Bedford and faster for people who aren't on the north side

As far as a future SR54 exit goes, my guess is we don't see that built in the next 50 years.  Very rural area with terrain that isn't easy to develop.

[mukade]

No SR 54 interchange on I-69 is needed at all. There are plenty of other options for westbound drivers on that highway.

Moving south toward Evansville, I noticed that they never replaced the enhanced reference markers when I-164 was changed to I-69. US 31 in Kokomo was the same - the new freeway never got the markers that the old bypass had.

Back in Evansville, the only I-164 signs I saw were on the Green River Rd. entrance to SR 66 (Lloyd Expy.).

[tdindy88]

A shame about the I-69 enhanced reference markers not being there in Evansville, especially since such signs existed along I-69 from former exits 0 to 26 northeast of Indianapolis. They could have used those signs in Evansville when the new reference markers were placed to reference the new exit numbers from 200 to 226. Unless they just reused those signs, I'm not sure on how that works.

[mukade]

The Indiana Department of Transportation will map out alternative routes next week for the final stretch of I-69. INDOT will talk about Section 6 and the reduction of the 14 alternative routes on the final stretch connecting Martinsville and Indianapolis.

I-69 Alternative Routes to be Announced (Inside Indiana Business)

[thefro]

From reporters live-tweeting on Twitter, INDOT has narrowed it down to 5 preliminary potential routes for section 6.  Road will follow SR 37 through Martinsville (which is what that community wanted).



Public meeting in the fall.  INDOT will further refine/analyze routes. Recommendation for route in early 2017 and final decision in Q1 2018.

The 4 alternate routes other than SR 37 would involve new terrain construction and don't follow existing roads once they split off (SR 37 just has a bit at the end).

[US 41]

What about that interchange just north of SR 48 in Bloomington that goes to the strip mall (for southbound traffic only)? Will it remain?

[tdindy88]

That should be closed with so that it ends at a cul-de-sac.

[silverback1065]

From reporters live-tweeting on Twitter, INDOT has narrowed it down to 5 preliminary potential routes for section 6.  Road will follow SR 37 through Martinsville (which is what that community wanted).



Public meeting in the fall.  INDOT will further refine/analyze routes. Recommendation for route in early 2017 and final decision in Q1 2018.

The 4 alternate routes other than SR 37 would involve new terrain construction and don't follow existing roads once they split off (SR 37 just has a bit at the end).

I like these, except B&D.  Will K3 & K4 involve destroying Mann road? Also would the proximity of K3 & K4 cause issues trafficwise with existing exits?  What's everyone else's opinion on this?