Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

Started by mukade, June 25, 2011, 08:55:31 AM

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Interstate 69 Fan

Quote from: ITB on September 18, 2018, 10:03:52 AM
Quote from: Roadsguy on September 18, 2018, 09:33:26 AM
The designation stops abruptly at the bridge? It doesn't even make it to IN 39?

That's right. Section 5 ends just prior to the bridges crossing Indian Creek, which is located about a mile south of SR 39. Northbound, there's a "Freeway Ends" sign up on the right hand side as the road bends toward the bridges.
I don't see a picture, ITB.
Apparently I’m a fan of I-69.  Who knew.


thefro

#2876


The proposal for Section 6 is to completely close SR37 in Martinsville in 2021 for a year to knock out most of the construction

https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/indot-proposal-calls-for-closing-portion-of-sr-37-in-martinsville-during-i-69-construction.php

Quote from: Indiana Public MediaThe Indiana Department of Transportation wants to close a portion of State Road 37 in Martinsville in 2021 to finish I-69 construction.

The agency announced the plan during a reevaluation meeting at Martinsville High School Monday night.

It was the biggest of several changes outlined in the proposal. 

INDOT Strategic Communications Director Scott Manning says the closure would last from spring to fall and allow contractors to finish construction more quickly.

"We will have State Road 37 closed to thru traffic from the State Road 44 area to State Road 39," Manning says. "All of the local, east-west roads will stay open."

Traffic would be diverted to State Roads 39 and 67 during that closure.

INDOT also plans to make improvements to SR 39 and several local roads to accommodate the increased traffic expected during the detour. 

I like the idea here since people in the know are going to use SR 39/SR 67 to go to Indianapolis anyway.

Full presentation isn't up yet
https://www.in.gov/indot/projects/i69/2535.htm

I-69 going over Ohio Street instead of vice-versa saves 5 residential properties.

Also the timeline document seems to indicate the Martinsville I-69 construction will be done after 2021.

https://www.in.gov/indot/projects/i69/files/2018-0914_Constr_by_Yr_.pdf

hoosierguy

Section 5 should have ended right before the SR 39 interchange.

edwaleni

Overall I think its a good idea.

However, IN-39 is going to get overwhelmed between IN-67 and IN-37.

While its 4 lane over the White River, its a local 2 lane all the rest of the way and requires a left turn at Morton Ave. It also has an "at grade" railroad crossing.

If INDOT was smart they would turn the IN-39/Morton Ave into a permanent curve NW and make Morton the signal that has to wait.

Ban left turns at local streets that aren't part of the local service routes.

The 3 gas stations along the way are going to love this. So is the Morgan County Sheriff, as they can set up up shop for radar right in front of their office!


ITB

Quote from: Interstate 69 Fan on September 18, 2018, 10:16:51 AM
Quote from: ITB on September 18, 2018, 10:03:52 AM
Quote from: Roadsguy on September 18, 2018, 09:33:26 AM
The designation stops abruptly at the bridge? It doesn't even make it to IN 39?

That's right. Section 5 ends just prior to the bridges crossing Indian Creek, which is located about a mile south of SR 39. Northbound, there's a "Freeway Ends" sign up on the right hand side as the road bends toward the bridges.
I don't see a picture, ITB.

Nope, don't have one ... yet. Next time I'm up that way ...  In the meantime, here's a few shots from Monday, September 17, 2018.


Looking south toward the southbound lanes of Interstate 69 from the I-69/Tapp Road interchange overpass in Monroe County, Indiana.


Looking north toward the southbound lanes of I-69 from the Tapp Road overpass.


These two photos were among the last shots I took before my camera didn't function as well as it should have. In other words, it broke, as I later came to realize. Another camera body, with a modest upgrade to megapixels and ISO, already has been purchased, so fear not, I'll still be out and about taking photos.

Later in the early evening on September 17, 2018, I motored up to Martinsville, Indiana, to attend the I-69 Section 6, Martinsville, Design Update Meeting at Martinsville High School. About 100 to 150 people attended. Perhaps the biggest news of the presentation was the proposed complete closure of SR 37 (no through traffic) throughout Martinsville during the construction season of 2021. The closure would run from the SR 39/SR 37 interchange north to the SR 37/E. Morgan Street crossing, located about a mile north of the SR 37/SR 44 intersection. A map depicting the closure and proposed detour has been posted above.

Initially, when I heard the word "closure" I wasn't paying too much attention. Then I began to realize it might pertain to SR 37. No way, I thought. Did I hear that right? I asked myself. But, sure enough, when the presentation shifted to the proposed detour, it began to sink in. Wow! Complete closure. Umm. You gotta wonder how this is going to go over when it becomes more widely known. Not well, I imagine. Thing is, I'm not sure INDOT has many options. Due to certain factors, INDOT plans to lower the mainline roadbed 15 feet in the vicinity of SR 37/SR 44 and to the north–at least that's what I remember hearing. I could be mistaken here, so keep that in mind. Anyway, if that's the plan, I can't imagine the twin roadways, or even one, perhaps, staying open, during the massive excavation, which will likely involve considerable blasting activity. Prior to closing SR 37, INDOT intends to make improvement to SR 39 and Morton Street, which will likely ease some congestion. Nevertheless, this may become a very challenging traffic management issue.

Here's a few pictures from the I-69 Section 6, Martinsville, Design Update Meeting, September 17, 2018 at Martinsville High School. They're soft, a little blurry in spots ... um ... they suck ... my apologies.


INDOT staff and consultants were on hand to answer questions from attendees at the I-69 Section 6, Martinsville, Design Update Meeting, September 17, 2018, at Martinsville High School.


Maps depicting the construction zone and interchange configurations were carefully examined by many attendees.


Jim Earl, I-69 Section 6 Project Manager, solely handled the meeting's presentation, which lasted about 30-45 minutes.


After his presentation, Jim Earl, personally met with and took questions from meeting attendees.


Interstate 69 Fan

I see that I-69 mile marker and reassurance shield in the 1st picture! Looks nice
Apparently I’m a fan of I-69.  Who knew.

Captain Jack

Thanks for the info ITB.  How is the general reaction from the public at these meetings? I don't get the sense the Martinsville populace is as riled up against this as Bloomington was a few years back.

Any comments on the proposed closing of IN-37. I am warming to the idea as it should speed the project up considerably. I wish there had been an alternative route between Bloomington and Martinsville.

I am concerned about the Martinsville Starbucks, as that has become a regular stop for me. Hopefully the locals will keep it afloat until the project is completed.

thefro

Seems like we're a week to a week and a half away from official substantial completion of Section 5, per this article.  Also they'll be uncovering other I-69 shields as they go through the punch list.

https://www.reporter-times.com/news/local/interstate-access-federal-highway-administration-declares-section-as-an-interstate/article_0c85aaaa-8f27-5aac-a697-f5ae476bc8c7.html

Quote from: Reporter TimesManning noted that all of the paving along the mainline of the project, the interstate itself, wrapped up last week.

"What the crews are working on now is paving on some of the access roads,"  Manning said.

On the mainline of the highway, crews are installing rumble strips on the shoulders of the travel lanes.

Workers are also completing work known as fog sealing on the highway.

"(Fog sealing) is just sealing the joints where the asphalt meets,"  Manning said.

Some other work that needs to be complete is putting down the lane markings on the interstate.

Getting the lane markings complete, Manning noted, will be a significant factor in considering the project as substantially complete.

"We anticipate maybe about a week to a week and a half to get that striping done, but we are very close,"  Manning said Tuesday afternoon.

Interstate 69 Fan

#2883
Quote from: thefro on September 20, 2018, 12:22:37 PM
Seems like we're a week to a week and a half away from official substantial completion of Section 5, per this article.  Also they'll be uncovering other I-69 shields as they go through the punch list.

https://www.reporter-times.com/news/local/interstate-access-federal-highway-administration-declares-section-as-an-interstate/article_0c85aaaa-8f27-5aac-a697-f5ae476bc8c7.html

Quote from: Reporter TimesManning noted that all of the paving along the mainline of the project, the interstate itself, wrapped up last week.

“What the crews are working on now is paving on some of the access roads,” Manning said.

On the mainline of the highway, crews are installing rumble strips on the shoulders of the travel lanes.

Workers are also completing work known as fog sealing on the highway.

“(Fog sealing) is just sealing the joints where the asphalt meets,” Manning said.

Some other work that needs to be complete is putting down the lane markings on the interstate.

Getting the lane markings complete, Manning noted, will be a significant factor in considering the project as substantially complete.

“We anticipate maybe about a week to a week and a half to get that striping done, but we are very close,” Manning said Tuesday afternoon.
Looks like I’m taking a road trip to see the new highway October 6th or 7th! Very excited.

ITB, will you be taking photos of Section 5 and 6 still?
Apparently I’m a fan of I-69.  Who knew.

Duke87

Quote from: hoosierguy on September 18, 2018, 02:32:08 PM
Section 5 should have ended right before the SR 39 interchange.

There appears to be an at-grade intersection remaining near Indian Creek. Said intersection is likely the end of the designation.

Of course, it's still a fair question why this intersection was not eliminated as part of Section 5 construction.

If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.

tdindy88

Said intersection will be eliminated when Section 6 is built according to the plans for Martinsville so it will only be this way for a short time.

I'm guessing that Section 5 didn't end at the interchange because they were unsure at the time at the configuration of that interchange. Ending it there might mean having to commit to building that interchange and that would have been dependent on everything else going on in Martinsville, which is just now being finalized.

Section 4 was the same way, ending just outside of Bloomington, but because of the two multi-lane highways intersecting they, rightfully, constructed the interchange between them and ended it there. There is not that much of an urgent need to do so with Martinsville since all of that is going to be a construction zone for a few years anyway.

SSR_317

Quote from: ITB on September 19, 2018, 01:53:23 AM

...  In the meantime, here's a few shots from Monday, September 17, 2018.


Looking south toward the southbound lanes of Interstate 69 from the I-69/Tapp Road interchange overpass in Monroe County, Indiana.
Any word on why INDOT went with the D10-4 Reference Post signs here rather than the D10-5 ones? Bloomington is an URBAN area, and 1/10-mile RPs would certainly be more than justified along this stretch. Could they simple have been getting cheap on us again?

silverback1065

Quote from: SSR_317 on September 22, 2018, 12:42:26 PM
Quote from: ITB on September 19, 2018, 01:53:23 AM

...  In the meantime, here's a few shots from Monday, September 17, 2018.


Looking south toward the southbound lanes of Interstate 69 from the I-69/Tapp Road interchange overpass in Monroe County, Indiana.
Any word on why INDOT went with the D10-4 Reference Post signs here rather than the D10-5 ones? Bloomington is an URBAN area, and 1/10-mile RPs would certainly be more than justified along this stretch. Could they simple have been getting cheap on us again?

also why arent those on the jersey barrier?

hoosierguy

Quote from: SSR_317 on September 22, 2018, 12:42:26 PM
Any word on why INDOT went with the D10-4 Reference Post signs here rather than the D10-5 ones? Bloomington is an URBAN area, and 1/10-mile RPs would certainly be more than justified along this stretch. Could they simple have been getting cheap on us again?

INDOT value engineered this road from the start to get it built as quickly as possible so it is certainly possible eliminating mileage markers to save money occurred.

MikeTheActuary

Quote from: vtk on September 06, 2011, 01:33:03 AM
Quote from: Duke87 on September 05, 2011, 07:16:24 PM
Quote from: vtk on September 04, 2011, 08:56:02 PM
Every example I can think of where an interchange with ghost ramps had the missing freeway built, the interchange in question was partially or entirely redesigned anyway.

Counterexample: I-84/CT 9.

How long between initial construction and completion?

20 years, give or take.

tdindy88

Having just traveled down to Bloomington to see the new interstate I'm even more baffled by those blue mile marker signs. The half-mile mark along the highway there  is still marked with the more usual white-on-green mile marker signs that are found elsewhere along I-69 (and most of the country.) So whole mile markers are blue signs and half mile marker signs are green. What the hell.

yakra

Can anyone confirm the exit numbers for Liberty Church Rd and IN 45/46, or have photos?
For TravelMapping, and we don't necessarily trust OSM or Wikipedia. :)
"Officer, I'm always careful to drive the speed limit no matter where I am and that's what I was doin'." Said "No, you weren't," she said, "Yes, I was." He said, "Madam, I just clocked you at 22 MPH," and she said "That's the speed limit," he said "No ma'am, that's the route numbah!"  - Gary Crocker

rickmastfan67

Quote from: Interstate 69 Fan on September 18, 2018, 10:16:51 AM
Quote from: ITB on September 18, 2018, 10:03:52 AM
Quote from: Roadsguy on September 18, 2018, 09:33:26 AM
The designation stops abruptly at the bridge? It doesn't even make it to IN 39?

That's right. Section 5 ends just prior to the bridges crossing Indian Creek, which is located about a mile south of SR 39. Northbound, there's a "Freeway Ends" sign up on the right hand side as the road bends toward the bridges.
I don't see a picture, ITB.

A pic & a name for that would be appreciated so we can properly get I-69's 'current' northern end added to our file for the route over at TM too. ;)

thefro

Quote from: yakra on September 23, 2018, 12:04:08 AM
Can anyone confirm the exit numbers for Liberty Church Rd and IN 45/46, or have photos?
For TravelMapping, and we don't necessarily trust OSM or Wikipedia. :)

https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/news/opinion/hotline-i--exit-numbers-and-dining-with-dogs/article_bf500043-16ca-5094-9924-0901a8ba4f96.html

That's the original source I used to update the Wikipedia page.  I believe someone pulled up the plans for the exit signs at some point in this thread as well.

ITB

Quote from: yakra on September 23, 2018, 12:04:08 AM
Can anyone confirm the exit numbers for Liberty Church Rd and IN 45/46, or have photos?
For TravelMapping, and we don't necessarily trust OSM or Wikipedia. :)

Here's a few photos of the I-69/SR 45/46 interchange. They were taken September 15, 2018, two days before SR 37 was officially designated Interstate 69.


Looking north toward the I-69/SR 45/46 interchange from the Vernal/17th Street overpass in Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana.


Closer look at the I-69/SR/46 interchange with the telephoto lens; looking north.


Long range perspective looking north toward the SR 45/46 interchange. Mile marker 119.5 is on the right.


Another long range view looking north from the Vernal Pike/17th Street overpass.


Slightly closer view than the above.

Here's a few in the vicinity of the I-69/Sample Road interchange, located north of the city of Bloomington. Again, photos were taken September 15, 2018.


Looking south toward I-69 from the Sample Road overpass.


Signage at the Sample Road interchange's western roundabout; looking east.


Looking north toward the southbound lanes of Interstate 69 from the Sample Road overpass. Note the median cable barrier. Several thousand feet of cable barrier has been installed between the Sample Road and Liberty Church Road interchanges.


The western frontage, or local access, road that veers off south from the Sample Road interchange's western roundabout; looking south.


Long range view looking southeast toward I-69 and the now shuttered Exxon/Circle K Mart.


More signage at the Sample Road interchange's western roundabout; looking slightly northeast.


As I noted in an earlier post, my camera is no longer functioning as it should. I purchased another camera body through eBay–a beautiful, carefully cared for piece of equipment–and whaddya know, surprise (not really), that camera had the exact same problem. Welcome to my life guys.


edwaleni

As someone who has camped at McCormick's Creek State Park many times over the years and teased the lifeguards from Ellettsville working at the pool, brings back good memories to see those signs at the IN-46 exit.

IN-246 between Clay City and Spencer is some great motorcycling just west of this exit.  Hope I-69 brings up some more campers and business through Spencer.

tdindy88

As I mentioned yesterday I took a quick trip down this way and snapped a few photos. Hopefully it provides some answers to what people had been asking earlier.






Speed limit signs, I was wondering if anyone knew what the speed limits might actually be. Whatever they are it would seem that Sample Road is the boundary between the two different zones.


Liberty Church Road exit sign


The end of the freeway, right before the Indian Creek bridges.



SSR_317

Quote from: tdindy88 on September 23, 2018, 09:12:54 PM
As I mentioned yesterday I took a quick trip down this way and snapped a few photos. Hopefully it provides some answers to what people had been asking earlier.




Speed limit signs, I was wondering if anyone knew what the speed limits might actually be. Whatever they are it would seem that Sample Road is the boundary between the two different zones.


I do recall seeing in one of the NEPA documents that Sample Road is the boundary between the "Rural" and "Urban" sections, so that is likely why there may be a speed limit change near there.

SSR_317

Quote from: ITB on September 23, 2018, 03:45:47 PM

Here's a few photos of the I-69/SR 45/46 interchange. They were taken September 15, 2018, two days before SR 37 was officially designated Interstate 69.


Long range perspective looking north toward the SR 45/46 interchange. Mile marker 119.5 is on the right.
Okay, somebody at INDOT needs to explain why they allowed the signage contractor to mix different types of Reference Post signs there in Bloomington? Perhaps someone needs to give both parties a copy of the MUTCD and make them actually read it! Reference Post 119.5 (pictured here) uses a GREEN background D10-3a, while RP 116 just 3.5 miles to the south uses a BLUE background D10-4 sign (see further up thread). Reference Post signs are supposed to be CONSISTENT along a given route (MUTCD Section 2H.06 paragraph 05), and they have no excuse for not doing so on this brand new section of I-69! Also, aren't they supposed to use ".0" on the integer RPs if intermediate markers are present (MUTCD Section 2H.05 paragraph 05)?

I guess everybody is just happy to have this section substantially completed and couldn't care less at this point about such glaring errors in the technical details.

silverback1065

Quote from: SSR_317 on September 25, 2018, 05:03:06 PM
Quote from: ITB on September 23, 2018, 03:45:47 PM

Here's a few photos of the I-69/SR 45/46 interchange. They were taken September 15, 2018, two days before SR 37 was officially designated Interstate 69.


Long range perspective looking north toward the SR 45/46 interchange. Mile marker 119.5 is on the right.
Okay, somebody at INDOT needs to explain why they allowed the signage contractor to mix different types of Reference Post signs there in Bloomington? Perhaps someone needs to give both parties a copy of the MUTCD and make them actually read it! Reference Post 119.5 (pictured here) uses a GREEN background D10-3a, while RP 116 just 3.5 miles to the south uses a BLUE background D10-4 sign (see further up thread). Reference Post signs are supposed to be CONSISTENT along a given route (MUTCD Section 2H.06 paragraph 05), and they have no excuse for not doing so on this brand new section of I-69! Also, aren't they supposed to use ".0" on the integer RPs if intermediate markers are present (MUTCD Section 2H.05 paragraph 05)?

I guess everybody is just happy to have this section substantially completed and couldn't care less at this point about such glaring errors in the technical details.

Designers regularly fuck up signage, they seem to love getting the font type wrong for state highways too. 



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