Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[Moose]

For someone who remembers what it was like to drive IN 37 from Bloomington to Indianapolis in the late '70s, I-69's a godsend.

It wasn't much better into the 2000s.

One thing the interstate has helped with, is getting the really annoying "Hyperlocal" traffic off the road. The people using the road for only a couple of miles.
There are the people who.. now have to use the access roads.

Trust me, there were a lot of them, and they didn't move very fast.

Now if we can just get Purdue to not take the "The Boilermaker Special" down I-69 to Bloomington for the Bucket Game..
For those who don't know, the IU-PU Football game is called the "Old Oaken Bucket Game". When the game was played in Bloomington, Purdue drives something called the "The Boilermaker Special" down to Bloomington.. at 45 MPH the WHOLE WAY.. there are hordes of hangers on following it (Including a horde of cars or firetrucks from various agencies from along the along the route), so it becomes an effective rolling slowdown.. I got stuck behind the thing once.

They only drive 45mph as there are two dudes in the back of it constantly beating on a drum. (I am not kidding lol)


This years is in Lafayette, so next year lol

[ITB]

Here's another batch of screen shots from INDOT traffic cameras:


INDOT Traffic Camera
From last Friday, a zoomed in shot looking east from the Mann Road overpass. Although light rain was falling, work proceeded as usual.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Looking west from near the Harding Street/I-465 interchange.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Zoomed in view of the I-69 interchange work zone; looking east. In preparation for the upcoming traffic shift to the new pavement, concrete barrier sections have been placed to separate the east and westbound lanes.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Severely cropped image showing the concrete barrier sections. The eastbound exit ramp to Harding Street/SR 37 is on the right.


INDOT Traffic Camera
After the rain has passed, another zoomed in view from near the Mann Road overpass.


INDOT Traffic Camera
And here's the non-zoomed in view with the Mann Road overpass in the foreground.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Right shoulder paving work; getting it done before expected rain moves in later in the day.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Paved on Sunday, the completed strip of new pavement between the eastbound bridge over Harding Street and the I-69 interchange work zone.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Early morning sunrise.

[Moose]

https://i69finishline.com/on-track-project-update-november-20-2023/?fbclid=IwAR3XFQg9MkFJXx1-bjSTGWzdo0uxs_jykWQp7bVYfpeWXgthnaEnm-3szLA

Latest update, nothing earth shattering, but here it is anyway

[silverback1065]

I like how well this project has proceeded construction wise. I just wish they'd do drone footage like north split.

[vtk]

Proximity to the airport adds a significant bureaucratic hurdle to drone flights over the last few miles of I-69 south of 465.

[Great Lakes Roads]

The signage plans on the I-465 overlap are up on INDOT's letting for December 13th! 

Any images of the sign plans?

Digging through the sign plans, the completion date of updating the signs along I-465 to include the I-69 shields won't be until June 2026...
All of the overhead signs will add the I-69 shields on top of the existing signs as a temporary measure (from 2024 until around 2026)...
All of the sign structures will be replaced with new and larger signs (and a LOT of APLs coming) with Evansville as an SB control city & Fort Wayne as an NB control city...

Letting number on INDOT- 43530

[tdindy88]

I've seen those too. I thought it was interesting to see on northbound I-65 approaching I-465 the usage of Fort Wayne (for I-69 north) and Peoria (for I-74 west) on the signage, and then the mention of Evansville and Cincinnati on an auxiliary sign instead of the overhead ones. It would make sense though since most traffic likely isn't heading to either of those locations traveling north. At the split between the two ramps however all control cities are listed.

It's also nice to see them include I-74's control cities at the spot where I-74 joins I-465. Now traffic continuing onto I-465 west/I-74 west get a mention of Peoria (plus I-69's south Evansville) with north I-465 getting Fort Wayne. Down the road I suppose they can do this at the I-74 junction on the west side, mention I-74's eastbound control city of Cincinnati while presumably leaving I-465's control cities blank as they currently do.

[I-55]

For someone who remembers what it was like to drive IN 37 from Bloomington to Indianapolis in the late '70s, I-69's a godsend.

It wasn't much better into the 2000s.

One thing the interstate has helped with, is getting the really annoying "Hyperlocal" traffic off the road. The people using the road for only a couple of miles.
There are the people who.. now have to use the access roads.

Trust me, there were a lot of them, and they didn't move very fast.

Now if we can just get Purdue to not take the "The Boilermaker Special" down I-69 to Bloomington for the Bucket Game..
For those who don't know, the IU-PU Football game is called the "Old Oaken Bucket Game". When the game was played in Bloomington, Purdue drives something called the "The Boilermaker Special" down to Bloomington.. at 45 MPH the WHOLE WAY.. there are hordes of hangers on following it (Including a horde of cars or firetrucks from various agencies from along the along the route), so it becomes an effective rolling slowdown.. I got stuck behind the thing once.

They only drive 45mph as there are two dudes in the back of it constantly beating on a drum. (I am not kidding lol)


This years is in Lafayette, so next year lol

Yeah, my lab partner is in Reamer Club and is one of the drivers, they drive about 30 mph faster than you say they do. Not to mention 45 mph is the construction speed limit anyway, not like it would be contributing to congestion there. 
contributing there.

[Interstate 69 Fan]

The signage plans on the I-465 overlap are up on INDOT's letting for December 13th! 

Any images of the sign plans?

Digging through the sign plans, the completion date of updating the signs along I-465 to include the I-69 shields won't be until June 2026...
All of the overhead signs will add the I-69 shields on top of the existing signs as a temporary measure (from 2024 until around 2026)...
All of the sign structures will be replaced with new and larger signs (and a LOT of APLs coming) with Evansville as an SB control city & Fort Wayne as an NB control city...

Letting number on INDOT- 43530

Is there a link? I'm not familiar with where these are haha

[Great Lakes Roads]

The signage plans on the I-465 overlap are up on INDOT's letting for December 13th! 

Any images of the sign plans?

Digging through the sign plans, the completion date of updating the signs along I-465 to include the I-69 shields won't be until June 2026...
All of the overhead signs will add the I-69 shields on top of the existing signs as a temporary measure (from 2024 until around 2026)...
All of the sign structures will be replaced with new and larger signs (and a LOT of APLs coming) with Evansville as an SB control city & Fort Wayne as an NB control city...

Letting number on INDOT- 43530

Is there a link? I'm not familiar with where these are haha

https://erms.indot.in.gov/viewdocs/

The place to see the documents for INDOT's projects...

[Interstate 69 Fan]

The signage plans on the I-465 overlap are up on INDOT's letting for December 13th! 

Any images of the sign plans?

Digging through the sign plans, the completion date of updating the signs along I-465 to include the I-69 shields won't be until June 2026...
All of the overhead signs will add the I-69 shields on top of the existing signs as a temporary measure (from 2024 until around 2026)...
All of the sign structures will be replaced with new and larger signs (and a LOT of APLs coming) with Evansville as an SB control city & Fort Wayne as an NB control city...

Letting number on INDOT- 43530

Is there a link? I'm not familiar with where these are haha

https://erms.indot.in.gov/viewdocs/

The place to see the documents for INDOT's projects...

Looking at that, they're adding variable speed limits - a very welcomed change!
They also have US 36 as IN 36 in there too, haha

[GreenLanternCorps]

For someone who remembers what it was like to drive IN 37 from Bloomington to Indianapolis in the late '70s, I-69's a godsend.

It wasn't much better into the 2000s.

One thing the interstate has helped with, is getting the really annoying "Hyperlocal" traffic off the road. The people using the road for only a couple of miles.
There are the people who.. now have to use the access roads.

Trust me, there were a lot of them, and they didn't move very fast.

Now if we can just get Purdue to not take the "The Boilermaker Special" down I-69 to Bloomington for the Bucket Game..
For those who don't know, the IU-PU Football game is called the "Old Oaken Bucket Game". When the game was played in Bloomington, Purdue drives something called the "The Boilermaker Special" down to Bloomington.. at 45 MPH the WHOLE WAY.. there are hordes of hangers on following it (Including a horde of cars or firetrucks from various agencies from along the along the route), so it becomes an effective rolling slowdown.. I got stuck behind the thing once.

They only drive 45mph as there are two dudes in the back of it constantly beating on a drum. (I am not kidding lol)


This years is in Lafayette, so next year lol

I actually saw that drum when the Purdue Marching Band performed at the Bands of America Indianapolis Super Regional high school marching band competition.

[ITB]

Here's another batch of screenshots from INDOT traffic cameras:


INDOT Traffic Camera
From last Wednesday, a mid-range shot looking east toward the I-69/I-465 interchange work zone.


INDOT Traffic Camera
To the west, also on Wednesday, a large paving operation was underway to pave up the wide strip between the recently built bridges over Harmon Ditch (right, foreground) and the White River (background). A sliver of Harmon Ditch can be seen in the lower left-center.


INDOT Traffic Camera
And again on Wednesday, there was a minor incident on the westbound lanes east of the Harding Street interchange. In the top-center, the new eastbound roadway is currently being used as the eastbound entrance ramp from Harding Street/SR 37.


INDOT Traffic Camera
As usual, even a little fender bender tends to cause a large backup.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Long range view from the Mann Road camera one day prior to the paving operation pictured above.


INDOT Traffic Camera
And here's the paving activity wrapping up the next day. With that job finished, the focus will likely turn to completing the right shoulder as well as the south sidewall of the White River bridge.


INDOT Traffic Camera
West of the I-69 interchange work zone, rebar work nears completion in preparation to pave the right shoulder east of the White River bridge. Earlier, a section of right shoulder was paved further east near the I-69 interchange (pictured below). This image also shows how six lanes of traffic can be placed on this pavement. It will be snug, probably 11 or 10.5 feet per lane, but little different from the lanes in use now.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Again, from last Wednesday, a long range view looking toward the I-69 interchange work zone, showing the section of newly paved right shoulder.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Closer look at the I-69 work zone and the eastbound exit to Harding Street/SR 37. Interesting that the sign is mounted on a truck.


INDOT Traffic Camera
And one more, a bright, clear long range shot from the Mann Road camera.

[rickmastfan67]

INDOT Traffic Camera
Closer look at the I-69 work zone and the eastbound exit to Harding Street/SR 37. Interesting that the sign is mounted on a truck.

Probably because they thought they could reuse the sign for the final product.  There's tape at the bottom covering over the 'EXIT ONLY' text.

[I-55]

INDOT Traffic Camera
Closer look at the I-69 work zone and the eastbound exit to Harding Street/SR 37. Interesting that the sign is mounted on a truck.

Probably because they thought they could reuse the sign for the final product.  There's tape at the bottom covering over the 'EXIT ONLY' text.

INDOT has actually been mounting exit signs that are usually overhead on the side in work zones (see I-465 at mile 25 and mile 37). These were the old signs that they wanted to mount closer to the roadway but installing them overhead doesn't make sense with existing pavement (either can't fit or no overhead gantries are in place). In the case of SR 37, it will be decommissioned between Bloomington and Fishers at the end of the project, thus the sign will not be reused, but during construction there's nowhere else to mount it within view.

Also a side note that I'm not sure has been mentioned before, but just north of Smith Valley road I saw a 60 mph speed limit sign covered up and mounted to the sound barriers when I drove through yesterday.

[silverback1065]

ya that's just the old sign, it will be used until the new permanent one is installed. they already have 1 of the new ones up and it just says HARDING STREET.

[abqtraveler]

ya that's just the old sign, it will be used until the new permanent one is installed. they already have 1 of the new ones up and it just says HARDING STREET.

I just find it interesting they mounted the sign to the side of a dump truck. I've never seen that before.

[mgk920]

ya that's just the old sign, it will be used until the new permanent one is installed. they already have 1 of the new ones up and it just says HARDING STREET.

I just find it interesting they mounted the sign to the side of a dump truck. I've never seen that before.

Hey, whatever works.   

Mike

[Moose]

ya that's just the old sign, it will be used until the new permanent one is installed. they already have 1 of the new ones up and it just says HARDING STREET.

I just find it interesting they mounted the sign to the side of a dump truck. I've never seen that before.

It looks like they strapped it in the middle of the bed of a low side flatbed truck.

You can see the strap going across the front of the sign.

All ready to be taken away when the new one goes up lol.

[ITB]

More pictures from INDOT traffic cameras:

Yesterday was a busy paving day on the new eastbound lanes of I-465. Let's get started with a couple of before photos.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Early morning start to prepare for the paving of a wide strip east of the  I-69 interchange work zone (background). The strip looked to be about 24–30 feet wide, and to pave it they probably needed the largest paving machine they had at their disposal.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Further west, east of the Mann Road overpass, prepping for a paving pass near a newly built retaining wall. Overnight temps were in the 20s, so they had to wait a bit for the air temperature to climb before getting underway.


INDOT Traffic Camera
By noon, west of the I-69 interchange work zone, a team was busy at work putting down concrete for the right shoulder. This involved a lot of manual work, hand screeding, bull floating, and so on. A paver couldn't be used, as there was no place to position one side of the machine's tracks.


INDOT Traffic Camera
And here's what they had to do. It looks to be 200–300 yards. Working steadily, the crew was probably able to do 300 feet a day, maybe more, so finishing this might take a couple more days.


INDOT Traffic Camera
By afternoon, paving work had been underway for a couple of hours on the wide strip east of the I-69 work zone. Since the strip was so wide, hundreds and hundreds of yards of concrete were required. In the background, another major concrete pour of some sort was underway using a pumper truck.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Still at it as the sun began to drop in the southwestern sky. Heavy traffic on the eastbound exit ramp to Harding Street/SR 37.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Cutting joints. Earlier, a small strip was paved just east of the exit ramp. That strip is visible in the previously posted picture of the truck mounted sign.


INDOT Traffic Camera
About 5 pm a team showed up to concrete up the unpaved sliver. Although the sun was going down as well as the temperature, they figured they could knock it out in short order, which they did.


INDOT Traffic Camera
In total, it took about an hour.


INDOT Traffic Camera
Back to the wide strip paving operation, here they are finishing up around 8:30 pm.


INDOT Traffic Camera
To the south in Johnson County, work continues on the median near the State Road 144 interchange.


INDOT Traffic Camera
And the view looking south.


INDOT Traffic Camera
A zoomed in view from the Mann Road camera from earlier today, showing the newly paved strip near the retaining wall. In the background, rebar is being put down for another section of right shoulder.


INDOT Traffic Camera
And also from today, another look toward the I-69 interchange work zone.


INDOT TrafficWise website
Here's a screen grab of the map on the INDOT TrafficWise website, showing the camera locations along the I-465 work zone. If interested, access that website and those cameras here or simply search "INDOT 511" and zoom in to where you want to go.

[Moose]

Some before and afters updated.

https://fb.watch/oEE1HPLKpx/

[JREwing78]

Some before and afters updated.

https://fb.watch/oEE1HPLKpx/

Sorry. Link not working for me (it reverts to the main Watch page).

[ITB]

Some before and afters updated.

https://fb.watch/oEE1HPLKpx/

Sorry. Link not working for me (it reverts to the main Watch page).

Initially, it worked for me, but isn't now. Another option to try is this I-69 Finish Line link.

[The Ghostbuster]

There still seems to be signage of IN 37 along Interstate 69 between Bloomington and Martinsville (mostly none between Martinsville and Indianapolis), and there is still some signage of 37 along 69 north of 465. Once IN 37 is eventually split into a 3-legged highway, they may have to renumber the mileposts along the IN 37 expressway north of Interstate 69 in Fishers.

[silverback1065]

There still seems to be signage of IN 37 along Interstate 69 between Bloomington and Martinsville (mostly none between Martinsville and Indianapolis), and there is still some signage of 37 along 69 north of 465. Once IN 37 is eventually split into a 3-legged highway, they may have to renumber the mileposts along the IN 37 expressway north of Interstate 69 in Fishers.

they will definitely not do that. INDOT leaves gaps everywhere and doesn't worry about the mileage. 37 already has a massive gap. it used to go all the way to ohio as 1 complete route. they got rid of a huge chunk from SR 9 to I-469 because it was cosigned the whole way. here is a mile post on the piece east of 469 https://www.google.com/maps/@41.163209,-84.9695275,3a,16.7y,172.27h,79.98t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sk8Ly_Sd0MIgOEuFHqV8whg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?authuser=0&entry=ttu