Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Calling it now - if there's ever a proposal to reconstruct the US 31/465 interchange at Exit 2, a DDI will be one of the alternatives.

I agree. When the US 31 bridge needs replacing, the entire interchange will be redone. A DDI could very well be feasible, traffic wise as well as cost.

Honestly, minus the I-69 and I-70 interchanges, all the interchanges on the south side - including the one with I-65 - need reconfiguring.

[ITB]

Here's some more pictures. It was a brisk late Saturday afternoon with periods of bright sunlight mixed with heavy cloud cover. Construction of the I-69/I-465 interchange is rapidly progressing, as is the work to reconstruct and add lanes to I-465. Because they are working on an accelerated schedule, night and weekend work has been occurring at certain locations. Bear in mind, this project is projected to complete in only nine and half months. Although a lot of works remains, the pace of progress is tangible. Photos were taken Saturday, March 16, 2024.


Zoomed in view from the Mann Road overpass. In the background are the girders of the flyover ramp that will carry I-69N to I-465W. At this time on I-465, crews are focusing on completing the eastbound roadway, which includes building two travel lanes plus a left shoulder. When that completes, westbound traffic will be transitioned to that pavement, and work will then commence to rip up the current westbound lanes, followed by their reconstruction and widening. The yellow piece of equipment in the background is to drill pile shafts for the westbound White River bridge. 


Closer look of the newly installed overhead sign. And, in case you're wondering, no, I did not get on the barrier. I simply leaned over.


Turning around, the view looking west toward the Mann Road overpass and partial interchange.


Long range view from the Mann Road overpass. On the left is a foundation for an overhead sign that will stretch over the future westbound lanes.


And here is that sign.


Another look at the large overhead sign stretched across eastbound I-465.


Slightly different zoomed in angle looking east from the Mann Road overpass.


Long range view looking west toward I-465 and the Mann Road overpass. On the left is Thompson Road.


Different perspective, again looking west toward Mann.


And another look at the overhead sign and other signage.

More photos to come.

[ITB]

Another set. Again, photos were taken Saturday, March 16, 2024.


At the future I-69/I-465 system interchange on the south side of Indianapolis, the girders of the I-69N to I-465 flyover ramp; looking northwest. Two sets of girders are still to be set. This is a very deliberate and careful process. Each girder weighs thousands of pounds and one mishap can be disastrous. The ironworkers who do this work are not as common as they once were. The work can be physically demanding and sometimes dangerous. Stay safe guys!


Turning around, looking northeast, here's a slightly zoomed in view of the I-465W to I-69S flyover ramp. The final set of precast concrete beams were placed either early last week or the week before. The original interchange plans had this ramp, too, being constructed using girders. But the Walsh-Milestone JV presented a design option — formally called an Alternative Technical Concept (ATC) — in which concrete beams could be used instead. INDOT accepted the proposed design modification, as that's what's getting built now.


Long range view looking west toward I-465. When the photo is enlarged (right click, etc), the Mann Road overpass can be discerned in the deep background.


Closer look at the girders and north abutment; looking northwest.


Different perspective of the girders and abutment, again looking northwest.


Long range view looking toward the I-465W to I-69S flyover ramp; looking east.


Closer look of the girders and temporary scaffolding use in their placement; looking north.


MSE (Mechanically Stablized Earth) wall caps to be placed on the south abutment of the I-69N to I-465 flyover.


Another perspective of the girders.


Looking north across I-465 toward the AES Harding Street Generating Station, with the towers of downtown Indianapolis in the background.


Another look at the I-69N to I-465W flyover ramp. Depending on the weather, it's possible the final two sets of girders will be placed this week.


And one more look at the I-465W to I-69S flyover ramp.

Still more photos to come.

[ITB]

Another set. Once again, the pictures were taken Saturday, March 16, 2024.


Looking north from the Epler Avenue overpass toward the ramps of the future I-69/I-465 interchange. In the background are the girders of the I-69N to I-465W flyover ramp.


Mid-range view. At the time of the photo, work was being performed on the GOMACO placer/spreader. Concrete paving will likely get underway this week on the two ramps which have rebar in place.


Turning around, the view looking south from the Epler Avenue overpass. Aside from another layer or two of asphalt, this section of roadway appears to be all but complete.


Long range shot with the AES Harding Street Generating Station in the background.


Zoomed in view of the rebar on the ramp from I-465W to I-69S, plus the gore point where the two southbound ramps from I-465 join to form I-69 south. And, again, in the background, the I-69N to I-465W flyover.


Here's the view from the other direction, looking south toward the Epler Avenue overpass.


Closer look of the gore point where I-69 north splits into two ramps, to either east or westbound I-465.


Future ramp from I-465E to I-69S; looking southeast. The Epler Avenue overpass is in the background.


Turning around, here's the view in the other direction, looking northwest.


Another long range view looking north from the Epler Avenue overpass, with the towers of downtown Indianapolis in the background.


One more, again looking north from Epler, depicting, as do others above, the four movements of the interchange.

Chilly mid-March day today. Nothing unusual. It might be, however, the last winter-like day until November. That means paving, both with asphalt and concrete, will be ramping up. The next nine month period is going to be very busy for the construction crews as I-69 approaches completion in Marion County.

[ITB]

A few more pictures. Better to post them now before they get stale. Again, the photos were taken Saturday, March 16, 2024.


Different perspective of the I-69N to I-465W flyover ramp; looking northwest.


The long MSE wall retaining wall of the I-69N to I-465W ramp and abutment, again looking northwest.


Another zoomed in shot from the Mann Road overpass; looking east. It was mostly cloudy, but at this particular moment the sun's rays were, fortuitously, bathing the I-69N flyover in light.


Another view of the flyover.


Turning to the left, the view of I-465 with the future eastbound exit ramp to I-69 south in the foreground.


Close up of the flyover's north abutment and the temporary scaffolding to support girder placement.


Looking south from the Epler Avenue overpass. On the right is the southbound entrance ramp from Epler.


View of the flyover from the future eastbound exit ramp to I-69 south.


Cropped perspective of eastbound I-465 and the newly installed overhead sign roughly 3/4 of a mile east of the Mann Road overpass.


Long range view of the I-69N flyover; looking northwest.


Another long range view, this time looking south toward the Epler Avenue overpass.


And, again, the I-69N flyover ramp and north abutment.


And another long range shot looking north from the Epler Avenue overpass.


Cropped shot looking south from Epler.   


And, finally, looking north toward the I-69N flyover from S. Warman Avenue in the Sunshine Gardens neighborhood. S. Warman used to intersect with Thompson Road up ahead, but that section of Thompson Road was removed, or perhaps, more accurately, erased, when construction of the I-69/I-465 interchange moved forward.

That's all for now.

[wanderer2575]

Closer look of the newly installed overhead sign. And, in case you're wondering, no, I did not get on the barrier. I simply leaned over.

Interesting that the pull-through part of that sign apparently does not include I-69 nbd.  Unless it's on a separate line and is covered.  I know INDOT doesn't sign state and US routes on the I-465 beltway, but I expected I-69 to be signed.

[TheCleanDemon]

Interesting that the pull-through part of that sign apparently does not include I-69 nbd.  Unless it's on a separate line and is covered.  I know INDOT doesn't sign state and US routes on the I-465 beltway, but I expected I-69 to be signed.

The sign in question isn't in a spot where 69 and 465 are running concurrent. 69 will be signed just like 74 is.

[ilpt4u]

Interesting that the pull-through part of that sign apparently does not include I-69 nbd.  Unless it's on a separate line and is covered.  I know INDOT doesn't sign state and US routes on the I-465 beltway, but I expected I-69 to be signed.

The sign in question isn't in a spot where 69 and 465 are running concurrent. 69 will be signed just like 74 is.

465EB/Outer, 69NB is joining the beltway here. It may very well be signed but covered

[TheCleanDemon]

Interesting that the pull-through part of that sign apparently does not include I-69 nbd.  Unless it's on a separate line and is covered.  I know INDOT doesn't sign state and US routes on the I-465 beltway, but I expected I-69 to be signed.

The sign in question isn't in a spot where 69 and 465 are running concurrent. 69 will be signed just like 74 is.

465EB/Outer, 69NB is joining the beltway here. It may very well be signed but covered

Maybe. There are no signs that I can think of on 465 advertising an approaching concurrence with 74, but maybe they are planning that with 69? For example, on 465 south on the westside of Indy, the only signs approaching 74 are for the West 74 exit. There are no signs saying "74 east stay on 465".

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Interesting that the pull-through part of that sign apparently does not include I-69 nbd.  Unless it's on a separate line and is covered.  I know INDOT doesn't sign state and US routes on the I-465 beltway, but I expected I-69 to be signed.

The sign in question isn't in a spot where 69 and 465 are running concurrent. 69 will be signed just like 74 is.

465EB/Outer, 69NB is joining the beltway here. It may very well be signed but covered

It is signed under the tarp. INDOT will be updating all signs along 465 in 2024 into 2025 to include both I-74 and I-69, as well as along intersecting roads, including I-70 on the east side. So I-69 will not be a "hidden designation" along I-465, unlike, say, SR 67.

[roadman65]

Will I-69 have control cities like I-74?  At I-65 it will be interesting to see both Cincinnati and Fort Wayne signed together as well as Evansville/ Peoria the other way.

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Will I-69 have control cities like I-74?  At I-65 it will be interesting to see both Cincinnati and Fort Wayne signed together as well as Evansville/ Peoria the other way.

Yep, both will be signed entirely along I-465.

[tdindy88]

According to the signage plans, coming from the south on I-65 the control cities of Peoria (for WB 465/74 and SB 69) will be featured plus Fort Wayne (for EB 465/74 and NB 69.) This does make sense since when you travel in that direction it's more likely you are heading toward Peoria or Fort Wayne, as opposed to Evansville and Cincinnati. A supplemental sign will reference Evansville and Cincinnati just in case. At the actual split at Exit 106 both control cities for both directions will be mentioned. Heading south on I-65 is appears that all control cities will be listed. At southbound Exit 106 you will have FIVE control cities: Cincinnati, Fort Wayne, Evansville, Peoria and Louisville.

[Genghixiani]

I have heard that IN-37 will be decommissioned through I-465 on here, and I just wanted to know if that was true.

[The Ghostbuster]

IN 37 will exist in three segments: 1. Tell City-to-Bloomington, 2. Fishers-to-Marion, 3. Fort Wayne-to-Ohio State Line. The Marion-to-Fort Wayne duplexes with IN 9 and US 24 were eliminated in 1980, creating the northern gap. Now with the Evansville-to-Indianapolis segment of Interstate 69 being completed, a central gap will be created as well. Personally, I'd keep the southern segment as IN 37, and give the central and northern segments of 37 new numbers, since I dislike state highways with gaps in them, even though a number of states have gaps in their state highways.

[Genghixiani]

IN 37 will exist in three segments: 1. Tell City-to-Bloomington, 2. Fishers-to-Marion, 3. Fort Wayne-to-Ohio State Line. The Marion-to-Fort Wayne duplexes with IN 9 and US 24 were eliminated in 1980, creating the northern gap. Now with the Evansville-to-Indianapolis segment of Interstate 69 being completed, a central gap will be created as well. Personally, I'd keep the southern segment as IN 37, and give the central and northern segments of 37 new numbers, since I dislike state highways with gaps in them, even though a number of states have gaps in their state highways.

Thanks for the clarity.

[KeithE4Phx]

IN 37 will exist in three segments: 1. Tell City-to-Bloomington, 2. Fishers-to-Marion, 3. Fort Wayne-to-Ohio State Line. The Marion-to-Fort Wayne duplexes with IN 9 and US 24 were eliminated in 1980, creating the northern gap. Now with the Evansville-to-Indianapolis segment of Interstate 69 being completed, a central gap will be created as well. Personally, I'd keep the southern segment as IN 37, and give the central and northern segments of 37 new numbers, since I dislike state highways with gaps in them, even though a number of states have gaps in their state highways.

There will be two state highways with three segments that include the Bloomington area:  IN 37 as you describe, plus IN 48 between IN 63 and IN 157 (Fairbanks to Worthington), between IN 43 and I-69 (Whitehall to Bloomington), and US 421 to US 50 (Napoleon to Lawrenceburg). 

I have no idea why INDOT continues this practice.  The Bloomington/Whitehall segment has had little reason to exist since at least the 1960s.  It's strictly a local road, and there's no longer much of a reason for IN 43 to exist in that area, either.

[tdindy88]

SR 101 would like to say hello.

Speaking of SR 37's soon-to-be three segments. I agree that the southernmost part should remain the normal SR 37. I had a crazy idea in my head for the middle segment from Fishers to Marion, renumber it SR 15. Eliminate the small section from Marion to Gas City, since it is too a local road, and renumber all of SR 37 from Marion down to Fishers. It wouldn't be the neatest looking routing and there would be some grid-violation for part of the way due to SR 13, but looking at a large map of the state it is still generally a north-to-south routing, connecting the Indy Metro area with Marion, and then Warsaw and Elkhart.

I'm not sure about the northernmost segment out of Fort Wayne, maybe some three-digit state route or something?

[Rothman]

IN 37 will exist in three segments: 1. Tell City-to-Bloomington, 2. Fishers-to-Marion, 3. Fort Wayne-to-Ohio State Line. The Marion-to-Fort Wayne duplexes with IN 9 and US 24 were eliminated in 1980, creating the northern gap. Now with the Evansville-to-Indianapolis segment of Interstate 69 being completed, a central gap will be created as well. Personally, I'd keep the southern segment as IN 37, and give the central and northern segments of 37 new numbers, since I dislike state highways with gaps in them, even though a number of states have gaps in their state highways.

There will be two state highways with three segments that include the Bloomington area:  IN 37 as you describe, plus IN 48 between IN 63 and IN 157 (Fairbanks to Worthington), between IN 43 and I-69 (Whitehall to Bloomington), and US 421 to US 50 (Napoleon to Lawrenceburg). 

I have no idea why INDOT continues this practice.  The Bloomington/Whitehall segment has had little reason to exist since at least the 1960s.  It's strictly a local road, and there's no longer much of a reason for IN 43 to exist in that area, either.

If I were a local community and the State was maintaining these routes, I would be miffed to have them forced upon me. 

Someone did say a long time ago that the decommissioning process requires local consent in Indiana.  Don't know if that's true.

[bmeiser]

Is it me or does this thread devolve into a discussion about the future of 37 every few months or so?

Pixel 7

[Rothman]

Is it me or does this thread devolve into a discussion about the future of 37 every few months or so?

Pixel 7

Eh, still seems pertinent to me.  Even though construction is underway, DOTs do change their minds.

[mgk920]

Is it me or does this thread devolve into a discussion about the future of 37 every few months or so?

Pixel 7

Eh, still seems pertinent to me.  Even though construction is underway, DOTs do change their minds.

Even WisDOT is known to do that.  Before the late 1990s,they were planning to turn the north-south part of US 45 north of central Oshkosh, WI over to the two counties (Outagamie and Winnebago) for 'lettering' when the then planned US 10/45 freeway project was completed.  They re-ran the traffic projection numbers and then decided to keep the road, reflagging it as 'WI 76' instead.

Mike

[Henry]

Closer look of the newly installed overhead sign. And, in case you're wondering, no, I did not get on the barrier. I simply leaned over.

Interesting that the pull-through part of that sign apparently does not include I-69 nbd.  Unless it's on a separate line and is covered.  I know INDOT doesn't sign state and US routes on the I-465 beltway, but I expected I-69 to be signed.

Way to ruin the mystery, INDOT!

[tdindy88]

Closer look of the newly installed overhead sign. And, in case you're wondering, no, I did not get on the barrier. I simply leaned over.

Interesting that the pull-through part of that sign apparently does not include I-69 nbd.  Unless it's on a separate line and is covered.  I know INDOT doesn't sign state and US routes on the I-465 beltway, but I expected I-69 to be signed.

Way to ruin the mystery, INDOT!

Well, here's another view of the signage plans:



This picture seems to be a variant of sign number 4 in this image. I imagine the finished project will be similar looking but it appears that the Harding Street mention will be on its own separate sign. The APL signage will just be for Exit 5, which was renumbered from the original Exit 4B. Beyond that sign though the rest of the signs that have gone up around this project have been spot on with the plans.

[silverback1065]

SR 45 and I think 48 were both supposed to be decommissioned west of 69 but they couldn't get an agreement with the city and county so they stay as is. I have a crazy idea to turn SR 13 into US 131