Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[rickmastfan67]

Well that sucks and is dangerous and unfair to drivers. If road conditions change and are not quickly reflected on Google Maps it could lead to confusion and accidents.

Yep.  For the US 31 project in Hamilton County I typically had the updates published on Google Maps the same day each road segment opened or closed.  No longer possible.   I've used the report option for the many new roundabout projects in Hamilton County since the shutdown of edit capabilities.  My reports are pretty much ignored other than simple road closure reports.

Update OSM then.

[cjw2001]

Update OSM then.

I enjoyed keeping Google Maps up to date since it was the most widely used mapping service by the general public.  (I made over 50,000 edits and 40,000 reviews on that platform over a 5 year period.)  If Google comes to their senses and opens up editing again then I'll likely go back to my old habits at that point.  Until that happens don't have a need to start a new time sink.

[ITB]

More pictures. Photos were taken Sunday, August 11, 2017, unless otherwise noted.


New signage; looking north from the overpass that carries Rockport Road over SR 37/Interstate 69.


On S. Monroe Medical Park Blvd. near the Fullerton Pike/SR 37 (future I-69) interchange, a crew works to install a storm sewer conduit; looking southeast.


Looking north toward S. Monroe Medical Park Blvd. and the western roundabout of the Fullerton Pike/SR 37 (future I-69) interchange.  I believe the crew is operating a large vacuum/suction machine, but exactly what they're doing or why I do not know. It's possible they're cleaning out a storm sewer installation.


Close up of the work above; looking north.


The bridge that carries Fullerton Pike over SR 37/future Interstate 69; looking northeast.


The scene at the Fullerton Pike construction zone at 6:30pm, Friday, August 11. Yup. They're pushing hard to get this project done.


A different angle of the new signage for the Fullerton Pike interchange; looking north from the Rockport Road overpass.

[ITB]

Here's a few more from the other end of Section 5. Photos were taken August 13, 2017, unless otherwise noted.


The bridge that will carry Liberty Church Road over SR 37/future I-69 in Morgan County, Indiana; looking north.


Just south of the Liberty Church Road overpass, work is underway to construct a bridge over Little Indian Creek for the local access road; looking south.


A mid-range perspective of the bridge work at Little Indian Creek.


Closer view at Little Indian Creek.


The piling rig to drive the steel bridge piles at Little Indian Creek.


Another view of the Liberty Church Road overpass; looking north. The crane is being used for driving piles for the access road bridge over Little Indian Creek.


An unusual, quiet moment with no traffic at the Liberty Church Road overpass.


A heavy-blade dozer and two lime trucks await startup Monday morning at the Liberty Church Road work zone; looking north. Aside from work on the western local access road, not all the much work has been advanced at Liberty Church this year. In the last month or so, additional equipment has been brought on site and modest embankment work appears to be underway. It seems full-blown construction at Liberty Church will restart in early 2018, but maybe sooner.

[Henry]

This is simply awesome! Too bad that when it's completed back to Indianapolis, it'll have to piggyback on the eastern half of I-465 instead of slicing straight through the city. But we all can dream, can't we?

[hoosierguy]

This is simply awesome! Too bad that when it's completed back to Indianapolis, it'll have to piggyback on the eastern half of I-465 instead of slicing straight through the city. But we all can dream, can't we?

No, having an interstate "slice straight" through a city is not a welcome state of affairs. This isn't the 1960s anymore. Indy has enough issues with inner city decay. It doesn't need a six lane freeway gutting neighborhoods.

[silverback1065]

This is simply awesome! Too bad that when it's completed back to Indianapolis, it'll have to piggyback on the eastern half of I-465 instead of slicing straight through the city. But we all can dream, can't we?

No, having an interstate "slice straight" through a city is not a welcome state of affairs. This isn't the 1960s anymore. Indy has enough issues with inner city decay. It doesn't need a six lane freeway gutting neighborhoods.

completely disagree, 69 cutting through is something that should have been done.  interstates going through cities isn't all bad, unlike what citylab would want you to think, boulevards don't make anything better.

[Life in Paradise]

Much of the area near Harding north of the south side of I-465 is industrial/flood plain to I-70 (with a few exceptions).  On the northeast side of town, it would be possible to put in a narrow interstate in the footprint of what is listed as Binford Blvd quite a ways in.  The challenge is then to get from that point to where  you could hook back into I-70 and the downtown loop.

[silverback1065]

the only portion that's worth building is the north split to 465 portion.  but enough of dreams of this...

[ITB]

It's official. The State of Indiana has taken control of Section 5.

http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/news/state-completes-process-to-take-over-i--project/article_296328c2-8128-11e7-b31b-c35cde775376.html

At the time of posting, the article was available to all readers, not tucked behind the usual H-T paywall. To accompany the short piece, there's a great aerial photo of the SR 37/Fullerton Pike interchange.

[ilpt4u]

It's official. The State of Indiana has taken control of Section 5.

Is this an example of when Public/Gov't entities are better suited for the task at hand vs Private entities?

Or is this simply the failure of a single Public-Private Partnership?

Lets see what InDOT does with the remains of the Section 5 project now

Does this change InDOT's budget? Not sure on the Dollars and Cents of this development

[ITB]

Here's the Indiana Finance Authority press release announcing the completion of the I-69 Section 5 Settlement Agreement:





http://www.in.gov/ifa/files/NEWS%20RELEASE_State%20Closes%20on%20I-69%20Section%205%20Settlement%20Agreement_FINAL.pdf

[silverback1065]

The p3 would have been successful if they picked a local company, or one near Indiana.

[codyg1985]

I wonder if Walsh bid on it originally?

[thefro]

I wonder if Walsh bid on it originally?

I believe they did, IIRC.  The international company they picked was significantly lower than the other bids.

[ITB]

From an IFA (Indiana Finance Authority) I-69 Section 5 board presentation. No date but it appears to be from early 2014. (For full presentation, see link below.)




Before the project even got underway, Gradex pulled out and was replaced by Crider & Crider. About two years after construction began, Aztec/TYPSA exited, in June of 2016. As of April 2017, Aztec was in litigation to get the money due them. (see link)

https://www.leagle.com/decision/infdco20170419e46



http://in.gov/ifa/files/I-69_Section_5_IFA_Board_Presentation.pdf

Edit: To clarify when Aztec Engineering left the project.

[ITB]

It's official. The State of Indiana has taken control of Section 5.

Is this an example of when Public/Gov't entities are better suited for the task at hand vs Private entities?

Or is this simply the failure of a single Public-Private Partnership?

This was a failure of a single p3. To more fully grasp what went wrong and why should be a case-study in business school.

Lets see what InDOT does with the remains of the Section 5 project now

INDOT and the powers that be in State of Indiana, the governor, etc., appear hell-bent to get Section 5 substantially completed by the officially stipulated deadline, August 31, 2018. I wouldn't bet against them.

The p3 would have been successful if they picked a local company, or one near Indiana.

Probably.

[GreenLanternCorps]

The maps application on my iPad is showing the Fullerton Pike interchange as complete, which is good.

It's also showing the Tapp Road interchange as complete, which isn't.


Not sure if I should report that to Apple, or The Time Patrol...

[tdindy88]

It shows ALL the exits as complete. I'm surprised they don't have I-69 marked all the way up to Martinsville.

[silverback1065]

Tapp road just started, it can only be signed up to fullerton right now. 

[EngineerTM]

Very likely that the Interstate signage will not be installed until this section gets closer to substantial completion.

[Life in Paradise]

Very likely that the Interstate signage will not be installed until this section gets closer to substantial completion.

This is more than likely the situation.  They haven't even posted any mileage signs on the section between I-64 and Bloomington.  Even though we know the road is going (and highway 37 does) go to Bloomington and Indianapolis, there are no control cities listed, except southbound for Evansville.

[US 41]

They should just make Bloomington the control city on the signs that are visible on say US 50, US 231, SR 64, etc. Bloomington is big enough to be a control city and they also are home to Indiana University.

On the mainline interstates however, Indianapolis should be the control city.

Basically I think they should do it the way Illinois would do it. Illinois uses Indianapolis and St Louis as the control cities on the interstates themselves, but on the roads that have interchanges with I-70 often Terre Haute, Effingham, and E St Louis are used as the control cities. Hopefully this halfway makes sense. 

[amroad17]

^ I do like how Illinois does that on their freeways.  I actually would like to see Pennsylvania do that along I-80. 

[inkyatari]

I have to say that because of all the photos, this is probably my favorite thread on these forums.