Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[mukade]

This is a small sampling of my pictures:


Southbound around dusk approaching Elnora where I-69 heads south


Northbound at SR 64


Northbound at SR 58


Northbound at US 50

[SW Indiana]

Is the US 50/150 interchange really a half diamond?  Or is Google still updating its map service?

It's a full diamond, mapping isn't updated.

[tdindy88]

Just got back, to answer my own question on the previous page, I guess Oakland City is mentioned on the exit ramp itself. I can too confirm that US 50/150 is a full diamond, and probably in need of some traffic signals from what I saw, at least for the northbound ramp. I also noticed that all mentions of Petersburg at the interchange with I-64 and north at the SR 68 exit are gone, since Petersburg bound traffic will use the interstate to SR 56/61. I'm hoping that Indianapolis gets put up there in a couple of years when the extension to Bloomington. Finally, I saw nothing up about traffic using US 231 to reach I-70 at the Crane exit, not up yet I guess? Overall, a neat experience since I grew up just after the last interstates were being built in the state, so this was my first time of seeing an interstate in it's infancy. Once it's connected to SR 37 I think it will be getting much more use.

[silverback1065]

Just got back, to answer my own question on the previous page, I guess Oakland City is mentioned on the exit ramp itself. I can too confirm that US 50/150 is a full diamond, and probably in need of some traffic signals from what I saw, at least for the northbound ramp. I also noticed that all mentions of Petersburg at the interchange with I-64 and north at the SR 68 exit are gone, since Petersburg bound traffic will use the interstate to SR 56/61. I'm hoping that Indianapolis gets put up there in a couple of years when the extension to Bloomington. Finally, I saw nothing up about traffic using US 231 to reach I-70 at the Crane exit, not up yet I guess? Overall, a neat experience since I grew up just after the last interstates were being built in the state, so this was my first time of seeing an interstate in it's infancy. Once it's connected to SR 37 I think it will be getting much more use.

When will the part to SR 37 be done?

[mukade]

Just got back, to answer my own question on the previous page, I guess Oakland City is mentioned on the exit ramp itself. I can too confirm that US 50/150 is a full diamond, and probably in need of some traffic signals from what I saw, at least for the northbound ramp. I also noticed that all mentions of Petersburg at the interchange with I-64 and north at the SR 68 exit are gone, since Petersburg bound traffic will use the interstate to SR 56/61. I'm hoping that Indianapolis gets put up there in a couple of years when the extension to Bloomington. Finally, I saw nothing up about traffic using US 231 to reach I-70 at the Crane exit, not up yet I guess? Overall, a neat experience since I grew up just after the last interstates were being built in the state, so this was my first time of seeing an interstate in it's infancy. Once it's connected to SR 37 I think it will be getting much more use.

I was also wondering about that US 231 sign. I agree on the need for traffic light at US 50. I would say both northbound and southbound as that road is quite busy.

A warning to anyone going to see it - I saw many state police cars today. Some were clocking vehicles and some were just patroling.

Other pics:

Not even all green directional signs are up as seen on SR 58 west of Odon


Newly opened SR 45 at new SR 445 route and the I-69 Greene County connector


I-69 continuing toward Bloomington after terminus at US 231 (the beginning of section 4)


Northbound at SR 168 on a foggy morning

[jnewkirk77]

When will the part to SR 37 be done?

By the end of 2014.

By the way, mukade, love the pics!

[tdindy88]

I noticed the cops too, saw one pull over a vehicle outside of Petersburg this morning heading south and saw another with one pulled over heading north around Oakland City in the afternoon. I just kept it safe and stayed at 70 the whole time.

[mukade]

I don't know if you went down SR 37 in Bloomington, tdindy. I checked it out as the contract for the interchange was awarded a couple of months ago. There were several survey stakes marking where the orange construction signs will go up and an INDOT truck was parked at a house that will be demolished there. Unfortunately, nothing else. Also, where SR 54 will cross I-69 was underwhelming. The trees had all been cleared, but nothing else.

[tdindy88]

I didn't go as far as the new interchange at SR 37, assuming there wasn't much there. I did drive SR 45 to Crane and saw the opening in the trees, but again assumed there wasn't much there to be seen.

[Captain Jack]

I found an excuse to take a work trip to Bloomington yesterday. Having spent many years driving every highway in Southern and Central Indiana frequently, it was a strange experience to be in my back yard and driving along a road that I had no idea what was around the next curve.

A couple of additional observations I had:

1. Not a single mileage sign along the route. I assume they are coming.

2. Thought it was a little odd that at US 50, they used Vincennes-Washington as the control cities at the interchange. With the route being on the east side of Washington, I would have assumed they would have used Loogootee and Washington. Isn't this pretty well the standard practice, one city in each direction?

I too think INDOT should go ahead and sign 69 along 164. It will eventually become 69, might as well go ahead and start the transition now. They could co-sign it with 164 for a year or so, then just drop the 164. In the meantime, will they add "To 69" shields at all the Evansville interchanges like they have now for "To 64"?

[jnewkirk77]

I won't be surprised to see Loogootee added at some future point, probably sooner rather than later. Ditto Oakland City at the SR 64 exit.  Vincennes District is pretty good about that.  I realize Gov. Daniels wanted INDOT to save money wherever possible, but leaving towns off the signs?  Sheesh ...

[mukade]

I found an excuse to take a work trip to Bloomington yesterday. Having spent many years driving every highway in Southern and Central Indiana frequently, it was a strange experience to be in my back yard and driving along a road that I had no idea what was around the next curve.

And it is a beautiful road going through the rolling coal country with a lot of woods, flat farm country, and rolling farm country not unlike SW Wiscosin. Next phase will take it through actual hills. I drove it at dusk one way and through fog and haze the other, but I bet on a clear day you would have at least a couple beautiful vistas.

1. Not a single mileage sign along the route. I assume they are coming.

Interesting observation. I checked the online plans for three of the interchanges, and there are no mileage signs specified. In a way it makes sense to do that later as Bloomington and Indianapolis would surely eventually be used.

2. Thought it was a little odd that at US 50, they used Vincennes-Washington as the control cities at the interchange. With the route being on the east side of Washington, I would have assumed they would have used Loogootee and Washington. Isn't this pretty well the standard practice, one city in each direction?

I won't be surprised to see Loogootee added at some future point, probably sooner rather than later. Ditto Oakland City at the SR 64 exit.

I do not recall ever seeing a new highway with signs for more than two cities. Is there a regulation that requires that? Eventually, INDOT adds a third city at some interchanges, and it often looks ugly and amatuerish.

When I was in high school I lived near I-65 in Merrillville. At the time I-65 was about four years old and Merrillville became a town in 1971. At the US 30 interchange on I-65 in Merrillville, the control cities were Schererville and Valparaiso. This caused a lot of complaints because the exit was in Merrillville and because Merrillville was larger than the other cities at the time. When IN DOH replaced the signs in the 1980s, the control cities were changed to Merrillville and Valparaiso. Now I think they are Merrillville, Schererville, and Valparaiso. So it has to be a difficult decision for someone.

To be honest, the decision at SR 64 to omit Oakland City in favor of Huntingburg was more questionable to me.

I too think INDOT should go ahead and sign 69 along 164. It will eventually become 69, might as well go ahead and start the transition now. They could co-sign it with 164 for a year or so, then just drop the 164. In the meantime, will they add "To 69" shields at all the Evansville interchanges like they have now for "To 64"?

Sign it I-69 and "former I-164" maybe. I did not see even one I-69 trailblazer which was surprising.

I realize Gov. Daniels wanted INDOT to save money wherever possible, but leaving towns off the signs?  Sheesh ...

I doubt elimination of cities on signs was a cost saving factor at all - it is probably the regulation to only allow two. I suspect the main cost savings were eliminating/postponing the two interchanges, postponing the rest area, eliminating/postponing the highway lighting at interchanges, and having narrower medians. The road itself looked to be high quality to me. I guess the decision was made to get something done ASAP because it was now or never. It is always easier to come in and add things later, and I expect that will happen when traffic warrants.

[tdindy88]

I picked daylight hours to drive the highway in both directions, on purpose, so I got to see the views both ways. It was foggy for the trip south (done in the morning to avoid the sun's glare later in the day) but the pictures came out just fine anyway. Heading back north was perfect the whole way and you could tell heading east to the US 231 interchange that hills were coming from the view ahead. It will be a nice reprive for those who drove through the flat fields of Daviess County (which kind of reminded me of US 41 in Northwest Indiana) to head through the hills of Greene and Monroe Counties. 

Again, I did notice that Oakland City was mentioned on the offramp onto SR 64 yesterday, and likewise Loogootee was mentioned on the offramps for both US 50/150 and US 231, so there is some mention of those communities, a rule allowing for only two control cities seems very likely given that. All that would probably need to be done is to install an auxilary sign prior to each exit that shows Oakland City Exit 33 and Loogootee Exit 62. We've used these signs before on Indiana highways, such as the mention of Metamora at Exit 149 on I-74 (Batesville/Oldenburg) and the mention of Bluffton at Exit 278  on I-69 (Huntington/Warren.) On that note, I think the town of Winslow on SR 61 should at least get a little mention at its interchange with I-69. It's the second largest town of Pike County and this is the Pike County interchange.

I saw the mileage signs missing too, and too I feel that is probably something to be added later, along with the lighting. At least the mile markers help in this regard, since they continue I-164's numbers, if you add a mile or so for the Veterans Memorial Parkway from the west of the interchange with I-164 and US 41, then you can use the milemarker to find out your distance to Downtown Evansville. Likewise if you know that Mile 87 is the northern endpoint and Mile 20 (I-64) is the southern endpoint (for I-69 of course) then you can do the math and figure out how much further you got. The signage plans for I-69 to the immediate north of the SR 68 interchange, and for the new I-69 south of the interchange at SR 37 DO mention provisions for a new mileage sign to be installed later, so they are planned. I'm just hoping there will be more than those two.

One final thing on I-164 in Evansville, I also agree that at the very least a "TO I-69" part should be added to signage at the exits along 164. Or we could drop the I-164 part of course....

[hbelkins]

My daughter made it back to South Bend from Evansville, but she didn't try I-69. I'm just as glad she didn't, since she was driving at night. The chance of breaking down in the middle of nowhere at night makes a dad worry, no matter how mature and self-sufficient she is.   

What route did she take?

FWIW, there seems to be ample cell phone service in that area along the parallel routes (IN 57 and US 231) so a breakdown on I-69 shouldn't be an issue in terms of summoning help.

[mukade]

Yes, I don't think phone service is an issue along I-69. Also, you have to keep things in perspective when it comes to services. It is about an hour drive from Crane to Evansville (assuming 75 MPH). In that stretch, Crane has a gas station and restaurant, Odon is about 3 miles east of I-69 on SR 58, Oakland City services are about a mile east on SR 64, and I-69 goes along the edge of Washington and Petersburg. So while there are no services on the highway itself until maybe SR 62 on I-164, it really is not too remote. I would say you are always within 10-12 minutes from services.

It is probably as good as any road to Evansville.

[SW Indiana]

Finally took a drive to Evansville from the US 50 interchange. As I previously stated, the US 50 interchange needs lighting. With 50 itself being 4 lanes, this interchange is very large and can be confusing for people not familiar with the area when its pitch black out side. With that being said, I was amazed at how lit it was at the SR 68 interchange. I feel that lighting at US 50 should have been prioritized over SR 68. I've spoken to a couple others that have driven through at night and they both agreed it was confusing to navigate in the dark.

- Drive from US 50 to Morgan Ave was 40 minutes. Before 69, it took about an hour.
- Only saw one Trooper, near Washington. The other one I saw was on 50, whom also saw me and decided to have a chat about my speed...lol. No ticket though! 

[hbelkins]

Has the lighting at the IN 68 exit always been there, or was it recently added? If the former, my guess would be that it was installed to help improve visibility at the spot where the freeway ended.

[tdindy88]

I'm pretty sure that it's been like there for a while, but I've never been through there at night to see the lights on.

[mukade]

Has the lighting at the IN 68 exit always been there, or was it recently added? If the former, my guess would be that it was installed to help improve visibility at the spot where the freeway ended.

When the exit opened, it had no lights - I looked at the pictures I took then. On the cover of the 2011-2012 INDOT map, that interchange is shown, and it has at least some lights. When I first noticed the excessive number of lights was in June from an airliner at a fairly high altitude. It really stood out.

[theline]

My daughter made it back to South Bend from Evansville, but she didn't try I-69. I'm just as glad she didn't, since she was driving at night. The chance of breaking down in the middle of nowhere at night makes a dad worry, no matter how mature and self-sufficient she is.   

What route did she take?

FWIW, there seems to be ample cell phone service in that area along the parallel routes (IN 57 and US 231) so a breakdown on I-69 shouldn't be an issue in terms of summoning help.

I appreciate the thoughts, hbelkins. I'll let her know. She took the usual US-41 & I-70 route, and probably the same route back on Sunday. I think she'll take the new road at Christmas time. She was a bit concerned about her GPS not knowing where she was on I-69. My navigation gene was definitely not passed on to her. I think I've convinced her that she can just follow I-69 to the end and then turn on the GPS to get her to SB next time.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Have control cities been updated/established for the BGS' on I-64

[mukade]

Have control cities been updated/established for the BGS' on I-64

Yes. From Petersburg to blank.

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[Captain Jack]

My daughter made it back to South Bend from Evansville, but she didn't try I-69. I'm just as glad she didn't, since she was driving at night. The chance of breaking down in the middle of nowhere at night makes a dad worry, no matter how mature and self-sufficient she is.   

What route did she take?

FWIW, there seems to be ample cell phone service in that area along the parallel routes (IN 57 and US 231) so a breakdown on I-69 shouldn't be an issue in terms of summoning help.

I appreciate the thoughts, hbelkins. I'll let her know. She took the usual US-41 & I-70 route, and probably the same route back on Sunday. I think she'll take the new road at Christmas time. She was a bit concerned about her GPS not knowing where she was on I-69. My navigation gene was definitely not passed on to her. I think I've convinced her that she can just follow I-69 to the end and then turn on the GPS to get her to SB next time.

I understand the parental concerns as I have a college age daughter as well. I have driven every road between Evansville and Bloomington for years, yet, I was even a little confused coming back after dark on Tuesday. I wouldn't worry about services, she will be fine with that, but I would be a little concerned about her on the 25 miles of twisties from Bloomington to Crane if she is driving after dark.

[mukade]

One interesting thing as I was organizing my pictures over the long weekend: I compared pictures of I-69 where it goes from north to east northeast near Elnora. When I checked out progress in May, this was an area that looked to be way behind schedule. The contractor for this part had the hilliest section and I think it was for around 10 miles of roadway. Below are the before and after shots. Note that five months after the picture in May was taken, the highway was paved, and six months later, it was open to traffic.


Taken from overpass


Taken from highway

Comparing with the speed it is taking or took to build parts of US 31, US 24, and SR 25, this was pretty amazing to me.

[ShawnP]

WOW

We still can build highways fast in America if we want to get it done.

Great Pics.........