Indiana Notes

[ibthebigd]

A decent 4 Lane road from I-74 to Greenwood would be nice.

Especially for people trying to avoid the toll bridges in Louisville and going thru Cincinnati isn't much farther

SM-G996U

[tdindy88]

It won't be perfect though. RR Pkwy connects with Ameriplex Parkway which currently ends at SR 67. Plans are in place to extend it toward Southport Road which could lead into a connection with I-69. But there is no way that Southport can be widened east of there. Worthsville Road is several miles south of there and will have no connection to Ameriplex or RR Pkwy. Likewise I don't think there's much interest in Mt. Comfort Road south of I-70 and especially south of New Palestine, so any connection around that southeast corner is non-existent.

[silverback1065]

RR Pkwy is supposed to tie into 267 eventually. I remember seeing a planning map years ago showing this. When this happens you will have an at grade road from 69 to 70. Southport Rd/Ameriplex Pkwy/RR Pkwy/Albert S. White/ 146th/Mt. Comfort Rd. maybe London Road will be upgraded one day. If RR Pkwy does ever make it to 267 I bet INDOT will decommission 267.

[tdindy88]

A decent 4 Lane road from I-74 to Greenwood would be nice.

Especially for people trying to avoid the toll bridges in Louisville and going thru Cincinnati isn't much farther

SM-G996U

That would basically be the County Road 400 North corridor in Shelby County. It nearly connects with Worthsville Road. Of course it is currently a two-lane road.

[jhuntin1]

A decent 4 Lane road from I-74 to Greenwood would be nice.

Especially for people trying to avoid the toll bridges in Louisville and going thru Cincinnati isn't much farther

SM-G996U

That would basically be the County Road 400 North corridor in Shelby County. It nearly connects with Worthsville Road. Of course it is currently a two-lane road.

Rocklane Road (Main St. in Greenwood) also nearly connects with County Road 400 North, and it's what I use to get to I-74. The traffic on those roads is light enough that four lanes is not necessary. CR400N is the Fairland exit with the horse track/casino.

[ITB]

On another matter, Heidelberg Materials announced earlier this week that its expanded, state-of-the-art cement plant in Mitchell, Indiana, has started production. The complex is now the second largest cement facility in the U.S. Some of the plant's new parts were so big and heavy, they were transported by barge on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, then trucked to Mitchell under escort.

It's expected the new facility, which has a production capacity four times the old, we help alleviate the concrete industry's cement supply constraints.

Mitchell is located in Lawrence County about 80 miles south of Indianapolis. The city is known for its annual Persimmon Festival, which celebrates all things American persimmon, particularly Persimmon Pudding, considered by many to be Indiana's signature dessert, though the Sugar Cream Pie also contends.

[skluth]

though the Sugar Cream Pie also contends.

Good news on the cement plant. I just had to comment on Sugar Cream Pie. I've never heard of it before but it can't be from Indiana. Sugar Cream Pie has to be the most Southern-sounding dessert name I've ever heard.

[KeithE4Phx]

though the Sugar Cream Pie also contends.

Good news on the cement plant. I just had to comment on Sugar Cream Pie. I've never heard of it before but it can't be from Indiana. Sugar Cream Pie has to be the most Southern-sounding dessert name I've ever heard.

It's similar to custard pie, and it most definitely from Indiana.  As are all things Persimmon.  We had a Persimmon tree, as did many of our neighbors when I was growing up in Bloomington.

[NWI_Irish96]

though the Sugar Cream Pie also contends.

Good news on the cement plant. I just had to comment on Sugar Cream Pie. I've never heard of it before but it can't be from Indiana. Sugar Cream Pie has to be the most Southern-sounding dessert name I've ever heard.

It's similar to custard pie, and it most definitely from Indiana.  As are all things Persimmon.  We had a Persimmon tree, as did many of our neighbors when I was growing up in Bloomington.

Persimmon is a southern Indiana thing. Nobody up here has heard of it.

[KeithE4Phx]

though the Sugar Cream Pie also contends.

Good news on the cement plant. I just had to comment on Sugar Cream Pie. I've never heard of it before but it can't be from Indiana. Sugar Cream Pie has to be the most Southern-sounding dessert name I've ever heard.

It's similar to custard pie, and it most definitely from Indiana.  As are all things Persimmon.  We had a Persimmon tree, as did many of our neighbors when I was growing up in Bloomington.

Persimmon is a southern Indiana thing. Nobody up here has heard of it.

That's because Lake and Porter Counties are more Chicago than Indiana.  My dad's family is from Hammond and I had relatives all over Lake County and the Indiana Dunes, so I'm familiar with the area.  Nobody appreciates a real Chicago hot dog or a good Italian Beef more than I do. 

I'm not sure if Persimmons even grow north of Indianapolis, or how far south they go.

[NWI_Irish96]

though the Sugar Cream Pie also contends.

Good news on the cement plant. I just had to comment on Sugar Cream Pie. I've never heard of it before but it can't be from Indiana. Sugar Cream Pie has to be the most Southern-sounding dessert name I've ever heard.

It's similar to custard pie, and it most definitely from Indiana.  As are all things Persimmon.  We had a Persimmon tree, as did many of our neighbors when I was growing up in Bloomington.

Persimmon is a southern Indiana thing. Nobody up here has heard of it.

That's because Lake and Porter Counties are more Chicago than Indiana.  My dad's family is from Hammond and I had relatives all over Lake County and the Indiana Dunes, so I'm familiar with the area.  Nobody appreciates a real Chicago hot dog or a good Italian Beef more than I do. 

I'm not sure if Persimmons even grow north of Indianapolis, or how far south they go.

I grew up near South Bend, and spent a lot of time in Fort Wayne, and nobody over there has heard of it either.

[Rothman]

When I lived in IN in the late 1970s, they called  green peppers mangoes (Bloomington and points south).

[KeithE4Phx]

When I lived in IN in the late 1970s, they called  green peppers mangoes (Bloomington and points south).

I never heard green peppers called anything but green peppers in all my years in Bloomington.  Or anywhere else in the country for that matter.

[Rothman]

When I lived in IN in the late 1970s, they called  green peppers mangoes (Bloomington and points south).

I never heard green peppers called anything but green peppers in all my years in Bloomington.  Or anywhere else in the country for that matter.

Let me Google that for you, then.

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2020/02/25/green-peppers-mangoes/4868299002/

One of my mother's favorite stories was going to a farmer's market and not buying green peppers because they were called mangoes and she didn't want mangoes.

[KeithE4Phx]

When I lived in IN in the late 1970s, they called  green peppers mangoes (Bloomington and points south).

I never heard green peppers called anything but green peppers in all my years in Bloomington.  Or anywhere else in the country for that matter.

Let me Google that for you, then.

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2020/02/25/green-peppers-mangoes/4868299002/

One of my mother's favorite stories was going to a farmer's market and not buying green peppers because they were called mangoes and she didn't want mangoes.

OK, that comes from a part of the United States that thinks that chili belongs on top of spaghetti, and that a can of Skyline is something that resembles chili.       

[Rothman]

When I lived in IN in the late 1970s, they called  green peppers mangoes (Bloomington and points south).

I never heard green peppers called anything but green peppers in all my years in Bloomington.  Or anywhere else in the country for that matter.

Let me Google that for you, then.

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2020/02/25/green-peppers-mangoes/4868299002/

One of my mother's favorite stories was going to a farmer's market and not buying green peppers because they were called mangoes and she didn't want mangoes.

OK, that comes from a part of the United States that thinks that chili belongs on top of spaghetti, and that a can of Skyline is something that resembles chili.       

Read the article...

[ITB]

though the Sugar Cream Pie also contends.

Good news on the cement plant. I just had to comment on Sugar Cream Pie. I've never heard of it before but it can't be from Indiana. Sugar Cream Pie has to be the most Southern-sounding dessert name I've ever heard.

It's similar to custard pie, and it most definitely from Indiana.  As are all things Persimmon.  We had a Persimmon tree, as did many of our neighbors when I was growing up in Bloomington.

Persimmon is a southern Indiana thing. Nobody up here has heard of it.

That's because Lake and Porter Counties are more Chicago than Indiana.  My dad's family is from Hammond and I had relatives all over Lake County and the Indiana Dunes, so I'm familiar with the area.  Nobody appreciates a real Chicago hot dog or a good Italian Beef more than I do. 

I'm not sure if Persimmons even grow north of Indianapolis, or how far south they go.

I grew up near South Bend, and spent a lot of time in Fort Wayne, and nobody over there has heard of it either.

To be sure, Persimmon Pudding is more well known in southern Indiana than in the northern areas of the state. The American persimmon tree is native to southern Indiana, particularly in Orange and Lawrence counties. The trees are also found in North Carolina and, to a lesser extent, in Kentucky and Tennessee.

In Indiana, Persimmon Pudding is traditionally made with American persimmons, though other varieties such as Hachiya or Fuyu can be used. However, making the necessary persimmon pulp ingredient from actual persimmons is laborious, and the results can be mixed. You see, the persimmons must be ripe. Very ripe! Unripe persimmons can be very astringent and are virtually uneatable. There's a workaround, however, at least in Indiana, and that's already processed persimmon pulp! Sold frozen the pulp can usually be found in specialty markets in Bloomington and other stores further south, as well as on some farms, such as here, here, and here. It's possible, too, pulp might be found in select stores in the Indianapolis area.



Persimmon Pudding has a long history in Indiana. It's been around since pioneer days. Recipes for Pudding go back at least 150 years. On the internet, dozens of recipes for Persimmon Pudding can be found, such as on this website. The one catch to making Persimmon Pudding is that one really needs the already processed persimmon pulp. That can usually be found in Indiana without too much trouble. Elsewhere in the country, except for perhaps North Carolina and select locations in KY and TN, good luck finding it!

In Indiana, Persimmon Pudding is served as a dessert. It's a Thanksgiving favorite for many, and its popularity typically extends throughout the holiday season. The dessert is usually served with either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Persimmon Pudding is not really pudding-like, as it's texture is soft but firm, and a piece sliced as square stays square. Sometimes it's prepared to be more cake-like, but that is not common.

Whether one lives in Indiana or is just passing through, if interested in having Persimmon Pudding on the table next Thanksgiving be sure to track down a pint or two of frozen persimmon pulp well in advance of the holiday season. In some places, it tends to sell out.

[tdindy88]

Not sure if anyone saw this, but it refers to the conversation about the "secret" outer loop around Indianapolis. Hamilton County looks to build an interchange at 146th Street and Hazel Dell Pkwy in the next few years.

https://fox59.com/indiana-news/it-gives-me-peace-of-mind-hamilton-county-intersection-will-see-new-safety-upgrades/

This comes on the heels of an upcoming project to build an interchange, similar in style to the proposed 146th/Hazel Dell one at 146th Street and Allisonville Road. It is amazing to see just how much Hamilton County has grown in the past few decades that now arterials are getting some interchanges built. With I-69, US 31 and SR 37 now all with multiple exits along with Keystone Pkwy that one county has quite a sophisticated highway system. I wonder how much longer it is before Hamilton County becomes 3rd in the state in population behind only Marion and Lake.

Anyways, sorry to bother the pie discussion.

[westerninterloper]

though the Sugar Cream Pie also contends.

Good news on the cement plant. I just had to comment on Sugar Cream Pie. I've never heard of it before but it can't be from Indiana. Sugar Cream Pie has to be the most Southern-sounding dessert name I've ever heard.

It's similar to custard pie, and it most definitely from Indiana.  As are all things Persimmon.  We had a Persimmon tree, as did many of our neighbors when I was growing up in Bloomington.

Persimmon is a southern Indiana thing. Nobody up here has heard of it.

That's because Lake and Porter Counties are more Chicago than Indiana.  My dad's family is from Hammond and I had relatives all over Lake County and the Indiana Dunes, so I'm familiar with the area.  Nobody appreciates a real Chicago hot dog or a good Italian Beef more than I do. 

I'm not sure if Persimmons even grow north of Indianapolis, or how far south they go.

I grew up near South Bend, and spent a lot of time in Fort Wayne, and nobody over there has heard of it either.

To be sure, Persimmon Pudding is more well known in southern Indiana than in the northern areas of the state. The American persimmon tree is native to southern Indiana, particularly in Orange and Lawrence counties. The trees are also found in North Carolina and, to a lesser extent, in Kentucky and Tennessee.

In Indiana, Persimmon Pudding is traditionally made with American persimmons, though other varieties such as Hachiya or Fuyu can be used. However, making the necessary persimmon pulp ingredient from actual persimmons is laborious, and the results can be mixed. You see, the persimmons must be ripe. Very ripe! Unripe persimmons can be very astringent and are virtually uneatable. There's a workaround, however, at least in Indiana, and that's already processed persimmon pulp! Sold frozen the pulp can usually be found in specialty markets in Bloomington and other stores further south, as well as on some farms, such as here, here, and here. It's possible, too, pulp might be found in select stores in the Indianapolis area.



Persimmon Pudding has a long history in Indiana. It's been around since pioneer days. Recipes for Pudding go back at least 150 years. On the internet, dozens of recipes for Persimmon Pudding can be found, such as on this website. The one catch to making Persimmon Pudding is that one really needs the already processed persimmon pulp. That can usually be found in Indiana without too much trouble. Elsewhere in the country, except for perhaps North Carolina and select locations in KY and TN, good luck finding it!

In Indiana, Persimmon Pudding is served as a dessert. It's a Thanksgiving favorite for many, and its popularity typically extends throughout the holiday season. The dessert is usually served with either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Persimmon Pudding is not really pudding-like, as it's texture is soft but firm, and a piece sliced as square stays square. Sometimes it's prepared to be more cake-like, but that is not common.

Whether one lives in Indiana or is just passing through, if interested in having Persimmon Pudding on the table next Thanksgiving be sure to track down a pint or two of frozen persimmon pulp well in advance of the holiday season. In some places, it tends to sell out.

Thanks for all that about persimmons. I grew up in Terre Haute, my family is all from Vincennes, and I spent ten years in school in Bloomington - my grandmothers from Knox County called green peppers mangoes as I recall, but we didn't eat persimmons; I think those are more in South Central and far southern Indiana, where the influence from North Carolina is stronger. There's more German and Catholic influence in SW Indiana than in Bloomington and points south, it shows in the dialect, foodways, etc etc. Northern Indiana is much more Yankee, Protestant, with Germans, and later Catholic populations from Southern and Eastern Europe, not so much Germany and France like SW Indiana. Indiana north of US 36 has a different culture from points south.

[cjw2001]

INDOT just announced full unidirectional closures of I 465 on the southwest side during June and July.  Eastbound closure in June and Westbound in July.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/INDOT/bulletins/35944ca

https://i69finishline.com/i465construction/

[silverback1065]

I knew it!  That explains the big orange signs all over the place!

[tdindy88]

Oh dear God, my commute is going to royally suck this summer. I-70 eastbound is backed up toward Holt Road with 465 open on the southwest side. Detouring all that traffic, plus the I-70 traffic is going to be a nightmare.

All I'm saying is that they better get A LOT done during this construction.

[tosa]

You should feel lucky 465 is only going to be closed for 3 wks. If it's not in Indy, the closure will definitely last for at least a year

[Great Lakes Roads]

Starting on or after June 1, INDOT will be shutting down two rest areas for a two-year reconstruction project. They are:

• Clear Creek Welcome Center on I-70 eastbound (MM 2 in Vigo County)
• Lebanon Rest Areas on I-65 (MM 148 northbound, MM 149 southbound in Boone County)

The Clear Creek Welcome Center will be getting an Indianapolis Motor Speedway theme (exhibits featuring IMS, local and regional racing history), a children's play area, an adult recreation & walking path, and a dog park. There will be 150 trucks and cars parking spaces as well as trucker restroom facilities and improved vending options & tourism-related information.

The Lebanon Rest Area will be converted into a truck-only rest area with trucker restroom facilities as well as 75 parking spaces for trucks.

As far as the schedule goes from INDOT with the rest area renovations:
FY 2025- I-65 NB & SB (MM 195), I-74 WB (MM 57), I-70 EB & WB (MM 64), I-70 WB (MM 143), I-65 NB & SB (MM 73 & MM 71), I-64 EB & WB (MM 59), I-65 NB & SB (MM 22)
FY 2026- I-74 EB (MM 1)
FY 2028- I-74 EB (MM 57), I-69 somewhere in Evansville
FY 2030- I-94 WB (MM 43), two new rest areas on I-69 between Evansville and Indianapolis, I-74 WB (MM 151)

[tdindy88]

I am resisting the urge to complain about the soon severe lack of auto-useful rest areas in this state. But when I was down in Evansville a couple of weeks ago I saw that their visitor center along the Ohio River has closed. So, if they do it right, a new welcome center along I-69 in the Evansville area could also double as a general visitor center for Evansville for traffic coming from the north.