Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[hbelkins]

Two traffic lights in Henderson and five or six in Union City. That's not a major inconvenience for anyone driving from Indy to Memphis.

god do i wish it was only 2 traffic lights in Henderson.
cant wait to make that drive in 3 weeks, especially that stretch 

I count one at Watson Lane, one at the entrance to a store and one at Marywood Drive. That's three. So I miscounted by one. Still, three lights isn't bad.

[Captain Jack]

Two traffic lights in Henderson and five or six in Union City. That's not a major inconvenience for anyone driving from Indy to Memphis.

I assume you are taking I-155 over to Arkansas and down I-55. I have tried that once and can't bring myself to keep going that way. Seems like it takes quite a bit longer. Of course I then just gripe about Covington and Millington. The other problem currently is the ridiculous speed trap known as Union City.

[abqtraveler]

Two traffic lights in Henderson and five or six in Union City. That's not a major inconvenience for anyone driving from Indy to Memphis.

I assume you are taking I-155 over to Arkansas and down I-55. I have tried that once and can't bring myself to keep going that way. Seems like it takes quite a bit longer. Of course I then just gripe about Covington and Millington. The other problem currently is the ridiculous speed trap known as Union City.

Hopefully in our lifetimes we'll see the speed trap through Union City bypassed by I-69.  TDOT s building the bypass, albeit at glacial speed.

[Henry]

Two traffic lights in Henderson and five or six in Union City. That's not a major inconvenience for anyone driving from Indy to Memphis.

I assume you are taking I-155 over to Arkansas and down I-55. I have tried that once and can't bring myself to keep going that way. Seems like it takes quite a bit longer. Of course I then just gripe about Covington and Millington. The other problem currently is the ridiculous speed trap known as Union City.

Hopefully in our lifetimes we'll see the speed trap through Union City bypassed by I-69.  TDOT s building the bypass, albeit at glacial speed.

That too would be nice to see.

[ITB]

Here's a brief outline covering the interchanges, overpasses, road closures, and local access roads that comprise Section 6 of Indiana's I-69 Corridor Project. Section 6, as many of you are aware, is the final section of I-69 planned to be built in Indiana. It runs from Martinsville, Indiana, to Interstate 465 in Indianapolis, a distance of approximately 26 miles.

Please bear in mind the details of this outline come from the Tier 2 Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which was approved and released last month. As the Record of Decision is still forthcoming, minor aspects of Section 6 may be tweaked in the meantime. Also, it should be noted it's possible I may missed or misinterpreted certain aspects of the Tier 2 report. So please take the following not as concrete fact, but as a general outline that presents, for the most part, what will comprise Section 6 in its final configuration.

Interchanges There will be 9 full interchanges and 1 partial interchange in Section 6.

- SR 39 (Martinsville, Indiana) – existing trumpet interchange will be utilized
- Ohio Street (Martinsville) – diamond interchange; Ohio Street over I-69
- SR 252 and SR 44 – modified split-diamond interchange; SR 252 under I-69, SR 44 over I-69
- Henderson Ford Road – diamond interchange; Henderson Ford Road over
- SR 144 – tight diamond interchange; SR 144 over
- Smith Valley Road – tight diamond; Smith Valley over I-69
- County Line Road – partial folded diamond interchange with roundabouts; County Line Road under
- Southport Road – final interchange configuration still undetermined; 2 options under consideration: (1) diamond interchange,
                              with Southport Road under I-69, and (2) diamond interchange, with Southport Road shifted north and over I-69.
- Epler Avenue – partial interchange; ramp connections only from I-69 northbound and to I-69 southbound
- Interstate 465 – directional interchange; interchange to be located just west of the quarry pits south of I-465

Overpasses/Underpasses In addition to the 10 interchanges, another 13 overpasses and underpasses are to be constructed.

- Burton Lane (Martinsville, Indiana) – over I-69
- Grand Valley Boulevard (Martinsville) – over
- Teeters Road – over
- Old SR 37/Myra Lane – under I-69
- Old SR 37/Egbert Road – over
- Perry Road/Old SR 37 – over
- Big Bend Road – over
- Waverly Road – over
- Stones Crossing Road – over
- Wicker Road – under
- Banta Road – under
- Edgewood Avenue – under
- Epler Avenue – under

Roads Closed     Eighteen roads that currently connect to SR 37 will be closed.

- Old SR 37 (just south of SR 39)
- Industrial Drive (Martinsville)
- Glenn Street (Martinsville)
- East Morgan Street/Twin Branch Road
- Country Club Road (Morgan County)
- Ennis Road [CR 500E] (Morgan)
- New Harmony Road (Morgan)
- Cragen Road (Morgan)
- Whiteland Road (Morgan)
- Banta Road (Morgan)
- Travis Road (Johnson County)
- Olive Branch Road (Johnson)
- Bluff Acres Drive (Johnson)
- Bluffdale Road (Johnson)
- Fairview Road (Johnson)
- Glenns Valley Lane (Marion County)
- Belmont Avenue (Marion)
- Thompson Road (Marion)

Local Access/Service Roads

- Rogers Road (Martinsville, Indiana) – will remain in its existing location; will connect into a 5-legged roundabout interchange to the west of I-69, comprising SR 39, the I-69 southbound ramps, and Rogers Road
- Grand Valley Blvd. (Martinsville) – to be extended to Cramertown Loop
- Kristi Road (Martinsville) – only right turn in/right turn out from Reuben Drive/SR 44
- Cikana State Fish Hatchery – new north local service road, connecting SR 44 to Twin Branch Road; to be located around the east side of the Cikana Hatchery, south ponds
- Morgan Street – to be extended north from Prince of Peace Lutheran Church to Old SR 37/Myra Lane; roughly 1.75 miles of new road
- Centennial Road – new local service road along the east side of I-69 from Centennial Road to New Harmony Road, with a new bridge of Stotts Creek; New Harmony Road to be realigned at Stotts Creek
- Perry Road – road carrying Perry Road across I-69 to be linked into an extension of Old SR 37 west of I-69; also a new access road along the west side of I-69 will extend south from Perry Road to the cemetery at the former Mt. Zion Church
- Whiteland Road – Whiteland Road will be realigned to connect into Waverly Road east of I-69
- SR 144 to County Line Road – a  long, continuous local service road is to be constructed along the west side of I-69 between SR 144 and County Line Road (Morgan/Johnson counties); road will pass under the Stones Crossing Road overpass and connect into Old SR 37, then run north to Smith Valley Road; new sections of roadway will be required to connect Smith Valley Road to Fairview Road, and continuing north to County Line Road
- County Line Road/Wicker Road – west of I-69, County Line Road will be realigned north to intersect with Wicker Road

Interstate 465

I-465 will be widened from Mann Road to US 31. There will be five traffic lanes in each direction, as well as an additional auxiliary lane in each direction to ease merging and diverging at the Mann Road, I-69, Harding Street and US 31 interchanges.

Construction of Section 6 is anticipated to begin in 2020 and wrap up in 2026. Considering the scope of the project, the number of interchanges and overpasses, as well as the new local access roads, the six-year construction schedule seems appropriate.

[silverback1065]

they should put an exit at whiteland road

[mvak36]

Construction of Section 6 is anticipated to begin in 2020 and wrap up in 2026. Considering the scope of the project, the number of interchanges and overpasses, as well as the new local access roads, the six-year construction schedule seems appropriate.

Maybe the Ohio River bridge and Section 6 will be completed at the same time  (Contingent upon funding, of course).

[2trailertrucker]

Will they make Mann Road a full interchange, or keep the partial interchange they have now?

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Having now driven Ind 37/I-69, from Indy to Evansville today, it...is....barren (well, I-69 is. Ind 37 isn't). Wouldn't mind InDoT mixing in some more control city signage, speed limit signs, and even some reassurance markers.
And is there any reason why InDoT would not tack on Bloomington (or even Indianapolis) for the NB control city all the way from I-64 to Bloomington (where I-69 currently *ends*)?

[silverback1065]

Having now driven Ind 37/I-69, from Indy to Evansville today, it...is....barren (well, I-69 is. Ind 37 isn't). Wouldn't mind InDoT mixing in some more control city signage, speed limit signs, and even some reassurance markers.
And is there any reason why InDoT would not tack on Bloomington (or even Indianapolis) for the NB control city all the way from I-64 to Bloomington (where I-69 currently *ends*)?

i think the nb control city is indianapolis, and if it is, it wont be put on the signs until they finish the whole thing.  it should be bloomington from eville to bloomington, then indy after that

[silverback1065]

Will they make Mann Road a full interchange, or keep the partial interchange they have now?

i don't think they will change the mann interchange

[vdeane]

They should just put Indianapolis on the signs now.  It's still the best route to go there, even if you have to take IN 37 to finish the journey.  Though Bloomington should be an intermediate control city.

[Revive 755]

^ Indiana does not seem to use intermediate control cities like Illinois and Missouri do.  Whereas Illinois and Missouri would have Lafayette signed at intermediate interchanges on I-65 and does use Terre Haute on I-70, Indiana seems to use Chicago/Indianapolis and Indianapolis/St. Louis at almost every interchange.  Indiana does however seem to have intermediate control cities on the post interchange distance signs though.

[tdindy88]

I was curiously checking the maps on my iPhone and saw that according to Apple Maps Section 5 is "complete." They have all the exits marked out with their individual ramps. Officially (according to the map) Interstate 69 has been extended north to SR 45. To my knowledge there is still plenty of work to be done on this highway before it is completed.

[Captain Jack]

I was curiously checking the maps on my iPhone and saw that according to Apple Maps Section 5 is "complete." They have all the exits marked out with their individual ramps. Officially (according to the map) Interstate 69 has been extended north to SR 45. To my knowledge there is still plenty of work to be done on this highway before it is completed.

Considering my Garmin just recently realized Section 4 is complete, I will take a little early.

[GreenLanternCorps]

I was curiously checking the maps on my iPhone and saw that according to Apple Maps Section 5 is "complete." They have all the exits marked out with their individual ramps. Officially (according to the map) Interstate 69 has been extended north to SR 45. To my knowledge there is still plenty of work to be done on this highway before it is completed.

For the record, my iPhone has an I-69 Shield north of State Road 45 and I-69 ending at State Road 48 (West 3rd Street).

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Interesting, since InDoT has End I-69 signs (NB) at Ind 37, south of Bloomington, as of last week.

[GreenLanternCorps]

What is the current status of the construction of Section 5?  What is finished and what need to be done?

[Strider]

Interesting, since InDoT has End I-69 signs (NB) at Ind 37, south of Bloomington, as of last week.

Photos?

[dcharlie]

Google Maps finally has that section in GSV (Southbound anyway).  You can see the sign here:  https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1068354,-86.5591872,3a,75y,27.91h,85.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0FD45iOy5vVy48XDcmKZgg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

[jhuntin1]

The state has said that the project should still be finished by next May, but here's another story about the contractor maybe running out of money:

http://fox59.com/2017/04/26/more-concerns-over-i-69-construction-between-bloomington-and-martinsville/

[I-39]

Whoever this contractor is should be fired and banned from doing construction for INDOT forever. This has been delayed how long now?

[westerninterloper]

If Daniels hadn't tried to do this project on the cheap, with a public-private partnership, and instead had taken responsibility as governor to make sure his government was able to complete this infrastructure project on time, then we would already be driving on a finished highway. Doing things on the cheap, the Indiana Way.

[vdeane]

IMO this project should be brought up every single time people make public-private partnerships sound like some kind of Holy Grail that makes money appear and projects magically complete on time.

[thefro]

If Daniels hadn't tried to do this project on the cheap, with a public-private partnership, and instead had taken responsibility as governor to make sure his government was able to complete this infrastructure project on time, then we would already be driving on a finished highway. Doing things on the cheap, the Indiana Way.

I think Pence should primarily get the credit/blame for whether this was a good idea in the end.  I know INDOT was getting the ball rolling in investigating the P3 option in January 2013, but ultimately Pence gave the okay to the agreement they came up with and he was in charge when they did the negotiations.

Indiana State Budget Committee & Governor Pence have approved I-69 Section 5.  Just a matter of negotiating the final contract terms now.

http://www.indianaeconomicdigest.net/main.asp?SectionID=31&SubSectionID=135&ArticleID=73850

The State Budget Committee has reviewed and Gov. Mike Pence has approved the selection of I-69 Development Partners to design, build, finance, operate and maintain Section 5 of Interstate 69.
However, a few more things still need to happen before the upgrade of the 21-mile stretch of Ind. 37 between Bloomington and Martinsville to interstate standards can begin.

The Indiana Department of Transportation along with the Indiana Finance Authority now will negotiate the final terms of the contract with I-69 Development Partners, said Will Wingfield, INDOT spokesman. He said those negotiations should wrap up some time in April.