Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[The Ghostbuster]

I look forward to the day when all of Interstate 69 from Evansville to Indianapolis is completed (said to happen in 2024). It was not easy to make this route a reality, given the history of what it took to ultimately build the new alignment (Evansville to Bloomington) and upgrading existing SR 37 (Bloomington to Indianapolis).

[abqtraveler]

I look forward to the day when all of Interstate 69 from Evansville to Indianapolis is completed (said to happen in 2024). It was not easy to make this route a reality, given the history of what it took to ultimately build the new alignment (Evansville to Bloomington) and upgrading existing SR 37 (Bloomington to Indianapolis).

The hardest part was finding the money to get it built. It's a lot easier to overcome any opposition to the route when you have the money in hand to pay for it. I know a lot of people criticized the state government for using the Indiana Toll Road as a cash cow to fund highway projects in other parts of the state, but IMO that decision has definitely paid dividends for not only I-69, but for a lot of other big-ticket road projects that were sitting on the back burner waiting for someone to write the check.

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Just wondering, anyone know where I can find the signage plans for Section 6? I've tried looking on the I-69 Finish Line page to no avail.

[IndyAgent]

Just wondering, anyone know where I can find the signage plans for Section 6? I've tried looking on the I-69 Finish Line page to no avail.

Wikipedia has the exit number all the way to 465

[Thegeet]

Does that mean we don't know if I-69 will bypass Indianapolis?

[abqtraveler]

Does that mean we don't know if I-69 will bypass Indianapolis?

INDOT has made no official announcement on how I-69 will be routed through/around Indianapolis, but it is widely speculated that it will follow I-465 around the south and east sides to connect with the existing I-69 on the northeast side of Indy.

[I-55]

Does that mean we don't know if I-69 will bypass Indianapolis?

INDOT has made no official announcement on how I-69 will be routed through/around Indianapolis, but it is widely speculated that it will follow I-465 around the south and east sides to connect with the existing I-69 on the northeast side of Indy.

INDOT's plans for the I-465/I-69 interchange have I-69 following I-465 south (page 24). Additionally, I remember a rendering video posted on this forum that showed the overhead displays for an I-69/465 concurrency.

[silverback1065]

there is absolutely 0 chance it doesn't go around the south and east sides of indy. it will never go inside the loop and it makes no sense for it to go around the west side.

[The Ghostbuster]

I don't see how Interstate 69 could be constructed through the city of Indianapolis. Heck, even Interstate 74 wasn't constructed through the city. Routing 69 on the 465 beltway is likely the only possible option.

[silverback1065]

I don't see how Interstate 69 could be constructed through the city of Indianapolis. Heck, even Interstate 74 wasn't constructed through the city. Routing 69 on the 465 beltway is likely the only possible option.

Indot never considered any other path. I don't know why it keeps coming up. The only time 69 was proposed inside 465 was when they originally built the interstates in the 60s and 70s

Pixel 5

[abqtraveler]

The only time 69 was proposed inside 465 was when they originally built the interstates in the 60s and 70s

Pixel 5

Which is why there are the ghost ramps at the I-65/I-70 North Split. I-69 was originally planned to follow Binford Boulevard and Fall Creek Parkway to the North Split. That section of highway was torpedoed by community opposition.

[Roadsguy]

The only time 69 was proposed inside 465 was when they originally built the interstates in the 60s and 70s

Pixel 5

Which is why there are the ghost ramps at the I-65/I-70 North Split. I-69 was originally planned to follow Binford Boulevard and Fall Creek Parkway to the North Split. That section of highway was torpedoed by community opposition.

And of course that plan predates the southern extension proposal, as the I-65/70 North Split would've been the southern terminus of I-69. Was there ever an independent proposal for an SR 37 expressway into downtown from the south?

I did always find it weird that I-74 was never even proposed inside I-465, considering that both ends were originally built with the roadway continuing inside the beltway but feeding into surface roads.

[Life in Paradise]

I don't see how Interstate 69 could be constructed through the city of Indianapolis. Heck, even Interstate 74 wasn't constructed through the city. Routing 69 on the 465 beltway is likely the only possible option.

It could always be constructed, but no one wants to spend the money or political capital to do so, and it would take a heck of a lot of both to buy all that land/properties and put a new in-town expressway.

[silverback1065]

there was a harding st expressway proposed as SR 37 but that never went anywhere. The new north split project will remove these ghost ramps. The whole interchange will close for 18 months in May!

[abqtraveler]

there was a harding st expressway proposed as SR 37 but that never went anywhere. The new north split project will remove these ghost ramps. The whole interchange will close for 18 months in May!

Oh that's going to be a fine mess when they close the North Split. Get ready for Carmageddon, Hoosier-style!

[ibthebigd]

How many times has that stretch from north split to south split been closed the last 20 years?

SM-G950U

[silverback1065]

the last time was the south split and before that was hyperfix, neither touched the north split itself. This project completely rebuilds the interchange, removes the ghost ramps, significantly shrinks the area of the interchange and flips how NB 65 and EB 70 leave at the interchange. 300 trees will be planted, new walking paths will be installed and some movements will be removed permanently. the limits are Delaware St. on the west, Valley Ave. on the east, and Fletcher Ave. in the south. once done it will be nicer safer and be able to handle more traffic!

[I-55]

there was a harding st expressway proposed as SR 37 but that never went anywhere. The new north split project will remove these ghost ramps. The whole interchange will close for 18 months in May!

Oh that's going to be a fine mess when they close the North Split. Get ready for Carmageddon, Hoosier-style!

Probably going to be twice as bad as Birmingham was, but Birmingham fared okay for the most part. Thankfully this is not Atlanta, and thankfully I-465 does its job well enough that the only issues I ever have are when 4 lanes are closed.

[abqtraveler]

there was a harding st expressway proposed as SR 37 but that never went anywhere. The new north split project will remove these ghost ramps. The whole interchange will close for 18 months in May!

Oh that's going to be a fine mess when they close the North Split. Get ready for Carmageddon, Hoosier-style!

Probably going to be twice as bad as Birmingham was, but Birmingham fared okay for the most part. Thankfully this is not Atlanta, and thankfully I-465 does its job well enough that the only issues I ever have are when 4 lanes are closed.

But the problem with the timing of the North Split project is it'll be going on right at the time when they'll be working on the south leg of I-465 and the connection to I-69 South. And they're looking at reconstructing the I-465/I-69 North interchange as well, but I don't know when they'll be starting on that.

[silverback1065]

there was a harding st expressway proposed as SR 37 but that never went anywhere. The new north split project will remove these ghost ramps. The whole interchange will close for 18 months in May!

Oh that's going to be a fine mess when they close the North Split. Get ready for Carmageddon, Hoosier-style!

Probably going to be twice as bad as Birmingham was, but Birmingham fared okay for the most part. Thankfully this is not Atlanta, and thankfully I-465 does its job well enough that the only issues I ever have are when 4 lanes are closed.

But the problem with the timing of the North Split project is it'll be going on right at the time when they'll be working on the south leg of I-465 and the connection to I-69 South. And they're looking at reconstructing the I-465/I-69 North interchange as well, but I don't know when they'll be starting on that.

INDOT is phasing it in such a way that they don't overlap much. North Split is in such bad shape it needs to go first. 465/69 NE won't start until like 23 i think, it's going last.

[Interstate 69 Fan]

They've been clearing a lot of trees along 37, from 465 down to 144. Seems like construction on that segment is going to commence pretty shortly, and big traffic backups will come too I'm sure.

[silverback1065]

They've been clearing a lot of trees along 37, from 465 down to 144. Seems like construction on that segment is going to commence pretty shortly, and big traffic backups will come too I'm sure.

I think off line improvements are being made now (side roads and overpasses).

[Henry]

The only time 69 was proposed inside 465 was when they originally built the interstates in the 60s and 70s

Pixel 5

Which is why there are the ghost ramps at the I-65/I-70 North Split. I-69 was originally planned to follow Binford Boulevard and Fall Creek Parkway to the North Split. That section of highway was torpedoed by community opposition.

And of course that plan predates the southern extension proposal, as the I-65/70 North Split would've been the southern terminus of I-69. Was there ever an independent proposal for an SR 37 expressway into downtown from the south?

I did always find it weird that I-74 was never even proposed inside I-465, considering that both ends were originally built with the roadway continuing inside the beltway but feeding into surface roads.

Yes, I'll bet that even if I-74 had been proposed through the city, it would've faced the same opposition that killed off the original I-69 southern extension and many other urban freeways in the nation. Thankfully, I-465 was already available for an alignment, and the only one that made sense at the time.

there was a harding st expressway proposed as SR 37 but that never went anywhere. The new north split project will remove these ghost ramps. The whole interchange will close for 18 months in May!

Oh that's going to be a fine mess when they close the North Split. Get ready for Carmageddon, Hoosier-style!

Probably going to be twice as bad as Birmingham was, but Birmingham fared okay for the most part. Thankfully this is not Atlanta, and thankfully I-465 does its job well enough that the only issues I ever have are when 4 lanes are closed.

But the problem with the timing of the North Split project is it'll be going on right at the time when they'll be working on the south leg of I-465 and the connection to I-69 South. And they're looking at reconstructing the I-465/I-69 North interchange as well, but I don't know when they'll be starting on that.

INDOT is phasing it in such a way that they don't overlap much. North Split is in such bad shape it needs to go first. 465/69 NE won't start until like 23 i think, it's going last.

Better to do it in shifts than at once, right? Hopefully the situation will not be as serious as it may be, especially if the overlapping is minimized.

[SSR_317]

there was a harding st expressway proposed as SR 37 but that never went anywhere. The new north split project will remove these ghost ramps. The whole interchange will close for 18 months in May!

Oh that's going to be a fine mess when they close the North Split. Get ready for Carmageddon, Hoosier-style!

Probably going to be twice as bad as Birmingham was, but Birmingham fared okay for the most part. Thankfully this is not Atlanta, and thankfully I-465 does its job well enough that the only issues I ever have are when 4 lanes are closed.

But the problem with the timing of the North Split project is it'll be going on right at the time when they'll be working on the south leg of I-465 and the connection to I-69 South. And they're looking at reconstructing the I-465/I-69 North interchange as well, but I don't know when they'll be starting on that.

INDOT is phasing it in such a way that they don't overlap much. North Split is in such bad shape it needs to go first. 465/69 NE won't start until like 23 i think, it's going last.

From INDOT's Clear Path 465 website (which includes I-69 & Binford Blvd from just south of 75th Street to about 86th Street):
"Anticipated project construction: 2022-2024".

A FONSI was issued for the project on January 15, 2021, according to the website.

[ITB]

Picture update. Photos were taken Sunday, April 4, 2021.

Indiana I-69 Corridor Project, Section 6, Morgan County


Looking north toward construction of the future I-69/State Road 252-Hospital Drive interchange in Martinsville, Indiana. SR 252-Hospital Dr. will go under I-69. At the crest of the hill, where work continues on the I-69/SR 44 interchange, an overpass will carry SR 44 over the mainline.


Closer look. It appears the mainline is going to be realigned slightly west at this location.


The view looking south from the Grand Valley Blvd. overpass. In the background are the new mainline bridges over realigned Sartor Ditch.


Construction of the southbound mainline bridge over the dry swale just north of the Egbert Road overpass in Morgan County; looking northwest.


Closer look of the above bridge construction; looking north.


Looking south from the Egbert Road overpass. In the background, construction continues on the bridge that will carry the southbound mainline over Clear Creek.


Another perspective looking southeast from the Egbert Road overpass.


Looking northeast from the southern roundabout of the future I-69/Henderson Ford Road interchange in Morgan County.


Future ramp to I-69 northbound at the Henderson Ford Road interchange. On the right is the recently completely extension of New Harmony Road.


The Henderson Ford Road overpass; looking north.


Signage just south of the future I-69/Henderson Ford Road interchange; looking slightly northeast. Appears the newly constructed local access from the interchange south to Egbert Road will be signed Henderson Ford Road.


Equipment lined up and ready to rumble at the Henderson Ford Road work zone; looking east.


Box culvert construction just west of the Henderson Ford Road overpass; looking northwest. Note the old double tube culvert.


Another perspective of the box culvert work; looking southwest. Perspective is from where the future ramp to southbound I-69 will be located.


Broad perspective looking east from the Henderson Ford Road interchange southern roundabout.


Another look at the State Road 252-Hospital Drive work zone in Martinsville; looking north.