Current Indiana Projects

[mukade]

The following is a brief update on current major highway projects underway in Indiana.

I-69 Southern Section
Currently, one two mile stretch from I-64 to SR 68 is open, and three other sections are under construction. By January 2011, the entire 68 mile section from I-64 to US 231 at Crane should be under contract. This entire section is scheduled to be open by the end of 2012. Additionally, Governor Daniels has announced that I-69 will be open from Evansville to Bloomington by the end of 2014. The section from I-465 south to the Marion/Johnson County line is supposedly funded through "Major Moves", but there is no published date for construction. I-69 will also follow part of I-465 and most of I-164. The remainder of I-69 will follow SR 37, and that section may not be complete until as late as 2030.
http://www.i69indyevn.org/

US 31 from South Bend to Plymouth Freeway
Approximately 15 miles of the 20-mile corridor will be built on new terrain east of the existing route. The south end of the project uses existing US 31, but all grade crossings will be eliminated in this existing section. The route includes four new interchanges and a rebuilt one where it meets US 20 at the north end. The project includes bridges that go over or under 24 roads or railroads. Several overpasses are either complete or under construction. Some of the new terrain roadway has been built. This stretch of US 31 freeway is scheduled to open in 2014.
http://www.us31plysb.com/

US 31 Kokomo Bypass Freeway
The Kokomo bypass is approximately 12 miles and is completely on new terrain. It includes five interchanges in addition to the partial one at the south end. By September, approximately eight miles of the highway will be under construction including three of the interchanges. The entire length is scheduled to be under contract by the end of summer, 2011. Currently, only two of the overpasses are complete and open to traffic with six more under construction. This stretch of US 31 freeway is scheduled to open in 2013.
http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/us31/kokomo/

US 31 Hamilton County Freeway
The project will upgrade US 31 to freeway standards and widen the highway from I-465 to SR 38. Only a small portion will be on a new route, and this upgrade will include 12 new interchanges in addition to a rebuilt interchange at I-465. The first interchange at SR 38 north of Westfield is scheduled to be started in 2011 along with improvements to the existing 146th Street overpass. The Hamilton County section of the US 31 project is scheduled to be completed in 2018.
http://www.us31hamiltoncounty.in.gov/

US 24 Fort to Port Freeway
The section of the Fort to Port project in Indiana is approximately 11 miles long. Except for a short portion at I-469 at the west end, this project is built on a new terrain route. At present, the easternmost 3 miles is open from SR 101 to the Ohio state line. Technically, this is considered an expressway in Indiana, but there will be no at grade crossings except at the existing interchange at I-469. This project includes three interchanges. The entire project is scheduled to be completed in late 2011.
http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/us24/

SR 25 Hoosier Heartland Expressway
The Lafayette-to-Logansport section of the Hoosier Heartland Highway is the final link in the corridor that will stretch 99 miles from Lafayette to Fort Wayne. The overall length of the corridor from Lafayette to Toledo, Ohio is approximately 200 miles. This current project covers approximately 35 miles and will include two new interchanges and several additional overpasses. About half of this project is built on a new terrain route. The parts currently under construction include the portion from I-65 in Lafayette to a point just west of Delphi and a the portion from Clymers to Logansport. The entire route is scheduled to be open in late 2013 or 2014.
http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/sr25study/

I-465 west and northeast side rebuild
The west side project is in various stages of construction with some parts already complete. All interchanges have been or will be rebuilt and the mainline will be widened to eight to ten lanes along the entire west leg.  The northeast rebuild also includes widening and complete rebuild of the interchanges. The current construction is mainly between Allisonville Road and east of US 31. This latter project will also improve I-69 just north of I-465.
http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/accelerate465/design/projectmap.html
http://www.465-69northeast.in.gov/

I-80/94 rebuild and widening
The final stretch from SR 53 (Broadway) to Central Avenue in Gary and Lake Station is being widened to 8 lanes. This will also complete construction on the interchange at I-65.

SR 641 Terre Haute Bypass Freeway
With over half the roadway and two interchages complete, the final decision on the connection point on I-70 has not been made. Originally, it was to have met SR 46 and then followed that route north to I-70, but this short section is now under "environmental reevaluation" with construction tentatively scheduled to begin in 2012. When complete, this road will provide a great improvement to those travelling on US 41 south of I-70. This is a new terrain route.
http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/sr641/maps.html

US 231 Expressway
Currently, the expressway is open from I-64 south to the new SR 162 interchange and also from SR 70 south to the Ohio River/Kentucky line. The section from SR 162 and SR 70 is under construction. A future phase will extend this expressway north of I-64 around Huntingburg and Jasper to almost SR 56. This also is a new terrain route.

US 231 Lafayette Bypass
New terrain bypass from near the Wabash River up to US 52 along the west edge of West Lafayette. Contract scheduled to be let December, 2010.

New interchanges: I-65 at 109th Avenue (UC), SR 49 at Vale Park Ave (2011)

[Revive 755]

I'm curious as to how long INDOT will wait before officially trying to get an interstate number for the US 31 South Bend - Indy corridor; whether they might seek a 3di, or try for maybe a future I-67 designation and disregard the future bit.

[mukade]

I'm curious as to how long INDOT will wait before officially trying to get an interstate number for the US 31 South Bend - Indy corridor; whether they might seek a 3di, or try for maybe a future I-67 designation and disregard the future bit.

I haven't heard any rumors on any getting an interstate designation, but the terminology INDOT uses for the 31 upgrades is "interstate quality" so I assume that is where they are headed. Before they do, they have two substantial gaps to fill north and south of Kokomo. North of Peru, US 31 is an expressway, but south of there it is mostly just a divided highway with plenty of traffic lights and driveways.

[3467]

 Have you Heard anything about US 50 ? I know it was on a wish list along with US 231 between 70 and 74 and IN 10 in Elkart county. IN 19 has been bad for 30 years.
Illinois might 4 lane some miles of US 50

[mukade]

Have you Heard anything about US 50 ? I know it was on a wish list along with US 231 between 70 and 74 and IN 10 in Elkart county. IN 19 has been bad for 30 years.
Illinois might 4 lane some miles of US 50

The only upcoming US 50 project I have heard of is from US 31 to North Vernon, but the I-69 interchange moves the existing expressway a tiny bit east.
http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/us50/northvernon/

[triplemultiplex]

US 31 from South Bend to Plymouth Freeway
US 31 Kokomo Bypass Freeway
US 31 Hamilton County Freeway

With these three projects, all the hard parts about getting I-67 are out of the way.  The rest is just overpasses, frontage roads and service interchanges.  Go for it, Indiana!

[tdindy88]

US 31 from South Bend to Plymouth Freeway
US 31 Kokomo Bypass Freeway
US 31 Hamilton County Freeway

With these three projects, all the hard parts about getting I-67 are out of the way.  The rest is just overpasses, frontage roads and service interchanges.  Go for it, Indiana!

Nice thought, but somehow I think INDOT would rather complete I-69 before even starting to finish the US 31 corridor.

[mukade]

US 31 from South Bend to Plymouth Freeway
US 31 Kokomo Bypass Freeway
US 31 Hamilton County Freeway

With these three projects, all the hard parts about getting I-67 are out of the way.  The rest is just overpasses, frontage roads and service interchanges.  Go for it, Indiana!

Nice thought, but somehow I think INDOT would rather complete I-69 before even starting to finish the US 31 corridor.

Maybe, maybe not. Remember when I-69 connects to Bloomington, the quality of the Indy-Evansville highway will be essentially the same as the Indy to South Bend highway. Both will be part freeway, part expressway with US 31 having some less-than-expressway areas. I venture to guess that US 31 may carry more traffic than I-69, but in any event, the South Bend combined statistical area (South Bend + Elkhart) is significantly larger than the Evansville Metro. It'll probably come down to cost and politics. Hopefully, they will be built simultaneously over time.

[ShawnP]

Or which is less politically sensitive given the major battles over I-69 in the Bloomington area.

[RoadWarrior56]

I suspect if I-69 is constructed up to Bloomington from Evansville in the next several years, as is currently predicted, the additonal traffic dumped onto SR 37 will force INDOT to upgrade SR 37 to I-69 much sooner than 2030, whether Bloomington likes it or not.  Even though it may have to be upgraded mile by mile and interchange by interchange a number of years.

[NWI_Irish96]

I'm curious as to how long INDOT will wait before officially trying to get an interstate number for the US 31 South Bend - Indy corridor; whether they might seek a 3di, or try for maybe a future I-67 designation and disregard the future bit.

From the US 31 Project Website Q&A Section:

What is the timeline for the entire north stretch of US 31 from Indianapolis to South Bend?

INDOT's Long Range Transportation Plan includes projects 25 years in the future. The US 31 segments through Hamilton County, Howard County (Kokomo), and Marshall and St. Joseph counties will be completed during this time period. Other segments will be determined as the Long Range Plan is updated.

[ShawnP]

How much of that future funding is accounting into I-69 bridge and the Louisville bridges. These three big projects are going to drain Indiana and Kentucky for decades unless a lot of federal funding and yes tolls.