US 31 Hamilton County, Indiana

[mukade]

There are plans to put one of those tear drop roundabouts at 96th and Keystone

Maybe.

A roundabout-style 96th and Keystone? Not so quick

[mukade]

I went past the US 31/SR 38 interchange for the first time in a month. Both directions are in their proper carriageways now, and SR 38 is open underneath US 31. When some final paving and striping on mainline US 31 is completed, it should be ready. Even the signage seems to be mostly in place.

At Keystone Parkway, progress has been very rapid. The highway does not resemble the way it looked back in June. The southbound ramp to Keystone is open (as reported before), and the northbound ramp is coming along nicely. The southbound part of the Clay Terrace/Rangleline Rd. interchange is open.

Between Keystone and SR 38, many businesses have been shut down in preparation for demolition. Others still remain open. Many houses and businesses have already been torn down.

[tdindy88]

And another stoplight on Keystone bites the dust.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20120924/NEWS/120924022/One-more-Keystone-Parkway-traffic-signal-disappear?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CIndyStar.com&nclick_check=1

[tvketchum]

Two more roundabout interchanges now on the books for US 31 in Hamilton County.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20121010/LOCAL0101/121010025/INDOT-agrees-roundabout-interchanges-along-U-S-31-Carmel-?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CCommunities&nclick_check=1

[theline]

Fun fact from the article:

Carmel already is home to 75 roundabouts, more than any other city in America, and there are plans to add more than 30 in the future.

[mukade]

I'm not sure when it actually opened, but the US 31 interchange at SR 38 is fully open. It was a bit surprising to me tha INDOT reopened two cross-streets on US 31 (216th and 203rd, I think). It would have been nice to see them closed off permanently. Despite this rebuilt section having enhanced reference mile markers, the BG signs have no exit number tabs (yet).


Northbound US 31. Note no exit number tabs yet


Northbound control city is Kokomo

[silverback1065]

No signals on SR 38?  Interesting

[theline]

BG signs have no exit number tabs (yet).

Will they have exit number tabs? The existing portion of US-31 freeway in Indiana, the St. Joseph Valley Parkway, has no exit numbers. I agree that there should be exit numbers, but INDOT apparently doesn't.

[NE2]

The Kokomo Bypass has exit numbers: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=4862.msg181448#msg181448

[mukade]

BG signs have no exit number tabs (yet).

Will they have exit number tabs? The existing portion of US-31 freeway in Indiana, the St. Joseph Valley Parkway, has no exit numbers. I agree that there should be exit numbers, but INDOT apparently doesn't.

Online INDOT plans show exit tabs in Hamilton county - including approaching SR 38.



Funny thing though.... SR 38 should be exit 135.

[tdindy88]

According to the signage plans for US 31 however, they show the Old Meridian Street slip ramp as being Exit 135, not sure if southbound has one since 116th Street is Exit 134 and presumably 136th Street is Exit 136.

[mukade]

According to the signage plans for US 31 however, they show the Old Meridian Street slip ramp as being Exit 135, not sure if southbound has one since 116th Street is Exit 134 and presumably 136th Street is Exit 136.

Right, but two things:
1) I know SR 38 is more than 18 miles from SR 22 in Kokomo
2) Below is an enhanced reference marker just south of SR 38 at 203rd Street


I believe all their exit numbers are wrong.

[tdindy88]

I wonder then if the mile markers are based on US 31 routing around I-465 as opposed to its former routing through Indianapolis, or even if the trip around 465 is counted. The I-465 routing should add a few miles on to US 31, which could explain MM 135 being marked at SR 38 with "Exit 135" being at Old Meridian. Actually, I'm not even sure if that last part made sense, but maybe INDOT is waiting to clear up what the mile marker should be before they put the tab on. Now that I see it though, the MM 135 makes sense there at SR 38.

[trafficsignal]

Here's a thought:

When 31 was relinquished through Indy and re-routed to 465, it added 8 miles to the overall length.  Either INDOT purposely tied one corridor to the existing mile markers (never updated after the relinquishment) and one to the actual distance to Kentucky, or one of the corridor's exit numbers are wrong.  Which would be why it appears there are only 18 miles between SR38 & SR22 when there will actually be 26-ish.

Also, I believe 202nd/203rd were re-opened but will be permanently closed once the 191st interchange is finished.

[hbelkins]

Here's a thought:

When 31 was relinquished through Indy and re-routed to 465, it added 8 miles to the overall length.  Either INDOT purposely tied one corridor to the existing mile markers (never updated after the relinquishment) and one to the actual distance to Kentucky, or one of the corridor's exit numbers are wrong.  Which would be why it appears there are only 18 miles between SR38 & SR22 when there will actually be 26-ish.

Don't know if this would have anything to do with it, but keep in mind that US 31's southern terminus in Indiana hasn't always been the state line.  For many years, the E and W branches reached into Indiana.

[mukade]

Using Google maps, SR 38 is indeed 144 miles from the Kentucky line. Therefore, SR 22 should not be exit 162 - it should be exit 171 or 172.

[theline]

So do we think that INDOT mistakenly used the mileage from the old thru-Indy route in figuring the exit numbers near Kokomo?

[silverback1065]

So do we think that INDOT mistakenly used the mileage from the old thru-Indy route in figuring the exit numbers near Kokomo?

If only that route still existed.

[NWI_Irish96]

I just ran the old route of US31 through Indy on Google Maps and it came up as 135.5 miles from the KY state line to IN-38, so that appears to be what the mile marker in mukade's photo is based on. 

[tdindy88]

Just trying to keep score here now:

-Milemarkers at SR 38, based on old routing of US 31 through Indy: PROBABLY WRONG
-Exit numbers at SR 38 and throughout Hamilton County US 31 corridor, based on new routing around Indy: PROBABLY RIGHT
-SR 22 exit number near Kokomo: DOES NOT MAKE SENSE

[Henry]

2) Below is an enhanced reference marker just south of SR 38 at 203rd Street

Why is the mile marker blue? 

[tdindy88]

Enhanced mile markers in Indiana (and other states) are normally blue. These signs go in the medians of major freeways in the Indianapolis area (interstates and the new US 31.) There are posts about these signs elsewhere on the forum, but I'll just say that this is normal, regardless of the accuracy of the numbers.

[silverback1065]

Enhanced mile markers in Indiana (and other states) are normally blue. These signs go in the medians of major freeways in the Indianapolis area (interstates and the new US 31.) There are posts about these signs elsewhere on the forum, but I'll just say that this is normal, regardless of the accuracy of the numbers.

It's pretty rare to see them on non interstates here, but that's starting to change. 

[PurdueBill]

INDOT should do like I-69 and reset the exit numbers north of Indy to something convenient. 

[Alps]

Enhanced mile markers in Indiana (and other states) are normally blue. These signs go in the medians of major freeways in the Indianapolis area (interstates and the new US 31.) There are posts about these signs elsewhere on the forum, but I'll just say that this is normal, regardless of the accuracy of the numbers.

I believe blue is still an allowable variant in the MUTCD for signs that include the route shield ("enhanced,") because at that point I guess they're providing a service somehow but that makes no sense?