Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[GaryV]

Wow.  120 ft / min is about 1.36 mph.

[Henry]

My guess is that they'll hold off on building the bridge until the Evansville-Indy segment is finished. Which would make sense, because doing both at the same time would've felt awkward, with a considerably large gap still left to fill in.

[ITB]

Does anyone know how fast those machines work? How many feet per day can they pave, assuming they hit no snags?

As one can imagine, there a myriad of factors that determine how much paving can be accomplished per day. Among these include the width and depth of the concrete slab to be placed, paving along curves or slopes, the nearness of the facility supplying the concrete, the ability of the paving machine, the experience of the paving crew, and, of course, the weather. Although some paving machines have the ability to pave rather quickly, moving hundreds of feet per hour, this is rarely the case in actual paving operations.   

Generally, a concrete paving crew will aim to pave between 1,500 and 2,500 feet per day, depending on the complexity of the project. In 2013, contractor Fred Weber, Inc., which had been awarded a contract to build a segment of I-69 in Section 3, set a goal of paving between 2,500 and 3,000 feet per day (see article linked below). Weber set up a portable batch plant in its work zone, so that was probably doable.

Because paving with either PCCP or asphalt is an expensive undertaking, contractors have a strong incentive to complete paving projects in as short of time as possible. Sometimes, however, going too fast can result in quality issues. For transportation agencies, such as INDOT, the quality and durability of the pavement is of paramount importance, so paving projects tend to be carefully monitored. In the road construction business, like every other type of business, there are dependable companies that produce quality product time and again, and, unfortunately, there are some who do not.

Link: https://www.gxcontractor.com/home/article/13007746/project-profile-going-3d-for-trimming-and-paving

Edit: spelling and grammar

[ITB]

I was surprised to see a crew at work paving the southbound mainline between the bridge over Indian Creek and the State Road 37/SR 39 interchange

Paving the left southbound lane of the mainline with PCCP just south of the new replacement bridge over Indian Creek in Morgan County

Just for clarity, was the paving taking place north of Indian Creek or south of Indian Creek? It seems like there's a contradiction here, but I admit I might be misunderstanding something.

Past that, great pics as per usual.

Section 6 begins just south of the Indian Creek bridges in Morgan County. The paving project referenced began on the southbound lanes near the SR 37/SR 39 interchange and moved south to the newly-replaced bridge (southbound span) over Indian Creek. Then, the next day, the equipment was shifted over the bridge to pave the short stretch of mainline south of the bridge, and that's when and where the photos were taken.

That's what I thought, and that's what's surprising me, since it appears from this image that the part south of the bridge was repaved, albeit in asphalt concrete, not too long ago. It seems wasteful to repave it again so soon even if they did change to cement concrete.

If I remember correctly, a few years back, because the stretch of SR 37 roadway south of Martinsville was deteriorating rapidly, INDOT decided it was appropriate to apply an inexpensive asphalt overlay as a temporary fix, cognizant that construction of Section 6 would commence in the not too distant future.

[edwaleni]

Wow.  120 ft / min is about 1.36 mph.

Remember, Gomaco says "up to".  Generally speaking it is usually slower for the reason ITB outlined above.

Also depends on the relative thickness of the pour as well.

If memory serves, Gomaco had to develop a new spreader when the Illinois Tollway specified a new (record at the time) pour depth for the I-355 North-South tollroad in DuPage County back in 1988.

Now all urban highways use that depth due to the volume of trucks. Rural highways like this one, probably not so much.

[seicer]

I wonder if the depths correlate to longevity? There are contrasts even within one state of how well concrete pavement holds up - such as I-99 on either side of State College.

[edwaleni]

I wonder if the depths correlate to longevity? There are contrasts even within one state of how well concrete pavement holds up - such as I-99 on either side of State College.

When ISTHA spec'ed the deeper pour I asked a couple of civil guys about it at the time and they said "geez, that is airport runway depth".

I can't find the research, but heavy truck volume was found to cause premature cracking due to too much repetitive stress being transmitted all the way to the base. Somewhat the same as repetitive landings of 747's.

[Rick Powell]

When ISTHA spec'ed the deeper pour I asked a couple of civil guys about it at the time and they said "geez, that is airport runway depth".

I can't find the research, but heavy truck volume was found to cause premature cracking due to too much repetitive stress being transmitted all the way to the base. Somewhat the same as repetitive landings of 747's.

Concrete doesn't have much tensile strength - in other words, it's "easy to pull apart" with force. So when a truck axle & tire put a point load on it, there is tension at the bottom of the concrete slab that, when repeated, will eventually start a crack that migrates toward the top. Additional depth in the slab reduces the tensile forces at the bottom of the slab that will slow down the development of cracks. The reinforcing steel that you sometimes see in concrete pavements (continuously reinforced concrete or CRCP) helps a little bit, but as it is usually set in the middle of a pavement slab, doesn't counteract the tensile force where it is at its greatest, at the bottom. The steel is set more at an elevation that will hold the cracks tighter once they develop than to prevent them in the first place.

[mgk920]

When ISTHA spec'ed the deeper pour I asked a couple of civil guys about it at the time and they said "geez, that is airport runway depth".

I can't find the research, but heavy truck volume was found to cause premature cracking due to too much repetitive stress being transmitted all the way to the base. Somewhat the same as repetitive landings of 747's.

Concrete doesn't have much tensile strength - in other words, it's "easy to pull apart" with force. So when a truck axle & tire put a point load on it, there is tension at the bottom of the concrete slab that, when repeated, will eventually start a crack that migrates toward the top. Additional depth in the slab reduces the tensile forces at the bottom of the slab that will slow down the development of cracks. The reinforcing steel that you sometimes see in concrete pavements (continuously reinforced concrete or CRCP) helps a little bit, but as it is usually set in the middle of a pavement slab, doesn't counteract the tensile force where it is at its greatest, at the bottom. The steel is set more at an elevation that will hold the cracks tighter once they develop than to prevent them in the first place.

I like to analogize a concrete beam as being like a stack of poker chips that is held together by a tensioned wire that is threaded through a hole that is drilled down its center.

Mike

[ITB]

I wonder if the depths correlate to longevity? There are contrasts even within one state of how well concrete pavement holds up - such as I-99 on either side of State College.

Although I didn't find anything about depth and longevity, I came across some interesting research and studies conducted by the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center, or, for short, the CP Tech Center (link below). Established in the year 2000, the CP Tech Center is closely associated with the Institute for Transportation at Iowa State University. Their research specialty: concrete pavement and roads.

In the report entitled "Engineering Concrete Pavement Mixtures for Durability" (link below), good concrete pavement depends on five factors: low w/cm; good air; enough cementitious – and no more; well graded aggregate; and improved internal curing (IC) using lightweight fine aggregates or super absorbent polymers. I think, but am not certain, that w/cm means "water to cement ratio." There was no mention about depth, but slab thickness probably does to some extent enhance pavement durability. I imagine the CP Tech Center would have more specific information. 

Because the concrete pavement industry is in tough, competitive struggle with the asphalt industry for market share in the United States and around the world, any technological advancement or breakthrough may generate billions in additional revenue for one side or the other. Pavement durability and cost appear to be the key factors. For instance, it would be a boon to state and municipal transportation agencies if the lifespan of either a concrete or asphalt road could be extended an additional 5 or 10 years before needing rehabilitation or replacing. If that in fact were to transpire, it may mean billions in savings. And that's where the work of the CP Tech Center comes into play – trying to find ways to make concrete pavement better, and at reasonable cost.

From what I've briefly looked at, the reports put out the CP Tech Center are generally not for the layperson, as they are loaded with arcane acronyms and industry-specific jargon. Nevertheless, browsing the Center's website and perusing the uploaded reports may be worthwhile for those willing to take the plunge.

Link: CP Tech Center https://cptechcenter.org/

Link: Engineering Concrete Pavement Mixtures for Durability report https://intrans.iastate.edu/app/uploads/sites/7/2019/08/43_REVISED-Engineering-Concrete-Pavement-Mixtures-for-Durability.pdf

[tdindy88]

A curious question (though probably mainly for ITB) since everyone is talking about concrete all of the sudden. How much of Section 6 is supposed to be concrete? I was driving through Martinsville this weekend and just thinking about how it may be nice to have the highway through the town be built in concrete so that they wouldn't have to touch it to much after construction, as opposed to redoing asphalt every few years.

[ITB]

A curious question (though probably mainly for ITB) since everyone is talking about concrete all of the sudden. How much of Section 6 is supposed to be concrete? I was driving through Martinsville this weekend and just thinking about how it may be nice to have the highway through the town be built in concrete so that they wouldn't have to touch it to much after construction, as opposed to redoing asphalt every few years.

Here's my take.

• Martinsville segment (from Indian Creek to 1 mile north of SR 44) — concrete

Since the contractor has already paved the southbound mainline south of the future I-69/SR 39 interchange with Portland Cement Concrete Pavement, I am assuming the entire Martinsville segment will be concrete. It's hard to see a change to asphalt, as they've already started with PCCP, but, I guess, it's possible though unlikely. Stipulations in the contract for the segment (Contract# R-33943) allowed the contractor the option to choose either PCCP or asphalt. Prior to bid submittal, the contractor had, in all likelihood, firmly decided which option was to utilized. And, from what we've seen, that decision appears to be concrete.

• Morgan County/Johnson County (Morgan Street to State Road 144) — asphalt

According to presentation materials for the Pre-bid conference for Contract# R-41542 (link provided below to download and view), the segment from Morgan Street to Henderson Ford Road is to be reconstructed and paved with asphalt. Additionally, the stretch from Henderson Ford Road to SR 144 is to undergo pavement rehabilitation and will be asphalt.

• Johnson County (State Road 144 to Fairview Road) — either concrete or asphalt

Stipulations in contract (R-41542) allow the contractor to pave this segment of mainline with either PCCP or asphalt. To me, at this time, it's a toss up which option will be selected. Will the Rieth Riley/Crider & Crider joint venture bring in a portable concrete facility? Lots of variables are involved.

• Johnson County/Marion County (just north of Fairview Road to I-465) — either concrete or asphalt

Aside from maps, little information has been made public about this segment. I presume the contract would, once again, allow the contractor the option of choosing either PCCP or asphalt for the mainline. But maybe not, as this segment of roadway will be more heavily traveled and pavement durability will be a major factor. Perhaps INDOT will put forward a concrete only option.

Please bear in mind I am in no way associated with the I-69 corridor project in any way.

Link: INDOT Letting Documents webpage https://erms.indot.in.gov/viewdocs/

The presentation materials referenced above are found in the Additional Information section for Contract #41542.

[ITB]

On Saturday I drove up to Morgan County for another look at the construction progress of Section 6. Although activity is winding down as winter approaches, there is still work underway at select locations. My primary objective on this trip was to take a set of "before" photos of State Road 37 in Morgan and Johnson counties prior to full blown construction which will kick-off this spring. In that regard, I was only partially successful, as I was only able to take some shots at the SR 37/SR 144 intersection before the sun began to sink low on the horizon. Two years ago I took a handful of "before" photos, which I believe I have yet to share with the forum. Since construction of the I-69/SR 44 interchange commenced earlier this week with pile driving that's a good place to start.

Photos were taken Saturday, November 28, 2020, unless otherwise noted.

State Road 37/State Road 44 Intersection, Morgan County

The SR 37/SR 44 intersection just north of Martinsville in Morgan County; looking northeast. This photo was taken November 3, 2018. Sadly, about a week after I snapped this photo a motorcyclist was killed at this intersection. If memory serves, the motorcyclist was traveling west on SR 44, had the green light, entered the intersection and was struck by a vehicle heading north on SR 37. The operator of the northbound vehicle, which ran the red light, was intoxicated.


Pile driving at the SR 37/SR 44 work zone as construction of the future I-69/SR 44 intersection gets underway; looking southeast. Since the ground has not yet frozen, the contractor has smartly decided to proceed with work now, rather than waiting until spring.


Closer look of the driven piles near the SR 37/SR 44 intersection; looking southeast.


Another perspective of the SR 37/SR 44 work zone; looking southeast.


Looking north toward the pile driving work underway at the SR 37/SR 44 intersection. SR 37 is to the right, but out of the frame.

[ITB]

Here's a few more photos. They were taken Saturday, November 28, 2020, unless otherwise noted.

State Road 37/State Road 144 Intersection, Johnson County

The intersection of State Road 37 and State Road 144 in Johnson County; looking slightly northeast. As part of Contract# R-41542, an overpass and diamond interchange with roundabouts will be constructed here. The interchange is expected to substantially completed and open to traffic by November 15, 2022.

[/url]
Closer look at the signage at the SR 37/SR 144 crossing; looking east.


State Road 37 crosses over Bluff Creek just a few yards south of the intersection. The mainline bridges over this creek will be replaced with new bridges and two additional bridges will be constructed as part of the I-69/SR 144 interchange – the northbound ramp from I-69 to SR 144 and the southbound ramp from SR 144 to I-69.


Another look at the intersection; looking east. The amber hue in the photos is due to the very low position of the sun on the western horizon.


Looking west toward State Road 144 from near the SR 37/SR 144 intersection. The traffic light in the background denotes the SR 144/Old State Road 37 intersection. A roundabout will be constructed there as part of I-69/SR 144 interchange project. On the left is Huggin Hollow Road, which will be rerouted west to intersect with Old State Road 37 near the roundabout.


Slightly different perspective of the SR 37/SR 144 intersection; looking east. The worst accident I have ever come across happened at this intersection. I was southbound on SR 37 returning from Indianapolis in the early evening in the mid-1980s when all traffic came to a stop prior to the SR 144 crossing. I couldn't see what exactly had happened as I was too far back, but there were two medivac helicopters positioned on the northbound lanes, rotors spinning. Later I learned a car carrying a family traveling westbound on SR 144 had been T-boned by drunk driver traveling north on SR 37 who ran the red light. Multiple fatalities. Three or four, maybe five. Essentially the entire family traveling in the car hit by the northbound vehicle was killed.




 

[ITB]

A couple of observations and comments, and then I throw up another batch of photos.

INDOT has installed a temporary traffic signal at the State Road 37/Henderson Ford Road crossing. It is operational and has been for about a week. I went through the light twice Saturday, November 28, first on SR 37 northbound, and later northbound on Henderson Ford Road in order to turn left onto SR 37 south. Unfortunately, the timing of the light isn't ideal and needs tweaking. The red light for SR 37 traffic seems overly long; it appeared, too, that southbound 37 stayed green longer than 37 northbound.

More problematic, however, is the confusion that confronts drivers on Henderson Ford Road who either attempt to cross SR 37 or make a left turn. Prior to the light installation, vehicles, one by one, would jump into the median, crossing either only the southbound or northbound lanes, and then either turn onto SR 37 or cross it completely. Now, with the light, and no pavement markings, drivers are pretty much going this way and that. Not sure what can be done, but it needs to be looked into. Probably when the southbound lanes of 37 are closed in 2021 the intersection will become safer.

As mentioned earlier, both the Perry Road and Waverly Road overpasses are now open. Northbound, these roads, after crossing over SR 37, intersect with Old State Road 37 in or near Waverly. This will generate a good amount of new traffic on Old State Road 37. Previously, residents residing in the area pretty much had access to 37 at their doorsteps. Now they'll have to use either Perry Road or Waverly and Old SR 37 to access I-69. The additional traffic on these roads will be manageable for the time being, but speeding could be problematic as some drivers may hurry to reach the SR 144/I-69 interchange, and vice versa heading home. Also, Waverly Road, which is now an arterial, goes past an elementary school.

In the vicinity of Banta and Exchange, largely rural areas located south and southwest of the SR 37/SR 144 intersection, some farm acreage has been sold off and and a handful of subdivisions featuring large lots have sprouted up. This trend is likely to accelerate with the completion of I-69, which will make travel easier to Indianapolis and Greenwood, and to Bloomington to the south. It seems another interchange will soon be necessary, placed somewhere between the interchanges at SR 144 and Henderson Ford Road. The logical points seem to be at either Perry Road or Big Bend Road, just to the north. Depending on the pace of forthcoming development and its concomitant population growth, consideration of another interchange may have to get underway sooner rather than later.

Here's a few more pictures. Photos were taken Saturday, November 28, 2020, unless otherwise noted.

State Road 37, Morgan County

In Morgan County, looking southwest from near the new Perry Road overpass toward State Road 37, as the sun dropped behind the trees.


Looking east toward SR 37 from the Perry Road overpass. In the background are the mainline bridges crossing Crooked Creek. Depending on condition, those either will be rehabilitated or repaired as SR 37 is upgraded to interstate standards.


South of Waverly, Indiana, the new access road and bridge over Crooked Creek; looking northeast. This road becomes Old State Road 37 and continues north/northeast to intersect with SR 144. In the foreground is a slice of Perry Road; the new overpass is off to the right but out of view. State Road 37 is in the background.


The new Perry Road overpass; looking slightly southeast.


Different perspective of the Perry Road overpass; looking south.


Closer look of SR 37 and its gentle, sweeping curve west of the Perry Road overpass; looking southwest.

Edit: Minor edits for readability.

[ITB]

Oops, forgot to post these pictures yesterday, so here they are. Photos were taken Saturday, November 28, 2020, unless otherwise noted.

New Frontage Road — New Harmony Road, Morgan County

The newly constructed extension of New Harmony Road and bridge crossing over Stotts Creek in Morgan County; looking east. New Harmony Road intersects with Henderson Ford Road near the future I-69/Henderson Ford Road interchange, located about a mile to the west.


Closer look at the new bridge carrying New Harmony Road over Stotts Creek; looking northeast. On the left are the SR 37 mainline bridges crossing Stotts Creek. Those will be replaced with new bridges as SR 37 is upgraded to I-69.


Another perspective of the frontage road bridge over Stotts Creek; looking east. Paving on New Harmony Road has yet to complete, but only one more layer is needed for the westbound lane. With afternoon temperatures warming up to the mid-40s, they should be able finish up this week or early next.


Although "no through street" warning signs are posted in the New Harmony Road construction zone, this guy apparently didn't see them.


Not every day you see a vehicle on the back roads of Indiana with the steering wheel on the right hand side. Also, note the lack of a front tag. In Indiana, only one license plate is required and that goes on the back. Years ago in Washington, D.C., I got pulled over, and the first question was "How come you only have one tag"?

Edit: The Jeep is most likely a Rural Mail Vehicle, which are commonly seen in rural Indiana.


And one last one — the crane and pile driving rigging at the SR 37/SR 44 intersection in Martinsville; looking southeast.

[vtk]

That jeep is the same color as the construction equipment

[ilpt4u]

I'm gonna guess the yellow Jeep with a right-side steering wheel was a Rural Mail Carrier vehicle

[Buck87]

I drove the Indianapolis to Evansville corridor for the first time last week, and it was nice to finally see all this in person.

I did notice some tree clearing had been done along the edges of SR 37 starting just outside of Indianapolis, north of where the active construction zones were.

[msunat97]

Re: Concrete depth.  A quick Google search says the average US interstate thickness is 11".  The autobahn is 27" thick.  With our higher volume of heavy traffic and increasing speed limits, i wonder if more DOT engineers are going to thicker concrete roadways?

[ITB]

I'm gonna guess the yellow Jeep with a right-side steering wheel was a Rural Mail Carrier vehicle

Yup, that's probably what it is. Didn't occur to me when I put the post up.

[vdeane]

Re: Concrete depth.  A quick Google search says the average US interstate thickness is 11".  The autobahn is 27" thick.  With our higher volume of heavy traffic and increasing speed limits, i wonder if more DOT engineers are going to thicker concrete roadways?

Michigan did an experiment on that starting in 1993.  There doesn't seem to be a huge difference between the Euro section of I-75 and the control segment to the south.
https://www.mlive.com/politics/2014/04/why_are_germanys_roads_better.html

[seicer]

Interesting - it makes me wonder if just the higher fuel taxes in Germany that results in better roads (more money for better maintenance). There is concrete pavement along I-99 around State College that was built around the same time as the others, yet portions of it prematurely failed and were recently resurfaced. It makes me if those failed portions were experiments - with thinner slabs or different subbases.

[rte66man]

Interesting - it makes me wonder if just the higher fuel taxes in Germany that results in better roads (more money for better maintenance). There is concrete pavement along I-99 around State College that was built around the same time as the others, yet portions of it prematurely failed and were recently resurfaced. It makes me if those failed portions were experiments - with thinner slabs or different subbases.

I don't believe slab thickness is the main factor for pavement failures, rather it sounds more like poor QC on the pours.

[vdeane]

Interesting - it makes me wonder if just the higher fuel taxes in Germany that results in better roads (more money for better maintenance). There is concrete pavement along I-99 around State College that was built around the same time as the others, yet portions of it prematurely failed and were recently resurfaced. It makes me if those failed portions were experiments - with thinner slabs or different subbases.

One other thing to keep in mind is that, outside of perhaps Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, most of Europe (and the British Islands) tends to have milder winters than the parts of the US that get significant snowfall.