I-69 in KY

[Revive 755]

^^ Actually, if you want to avoid a left exit for SB "exiting" traffic, you have to make the changes shown. It just depends on if you think it's important to make I-69 the real through road.

Considering that the mainline NB I-69 uses a loop ramp at I-55 in Mississippi, I'm not sure why this interchange really needs to be upgraded right away.

A variant on the design used for the western I-72/US 51 interchange at Decatur, IL, would take up less land.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=decatur,+il&hl=en&ll=39.839683,-89.044168&spn=0.013955,0.033023&sll=39.840919,-89.043353&sspn=0.013955,0.033023&hnear=Decatur,+Macon,+Illinois&t=h&z=16

[rickmastfan67]

^^ Actually, if you want to avoid a left exit for SB "exiting" traffic, you have to make the changes shown. It just depends on if you think it's important to make I-69 the real through road.

Considering that the mainline NB I-69 uses a loop ramp at I-55 in Mississippi, I'm not sure why this interchange really needs to be upgraded right away.

I think that's because they want people to use I-269 (once built) instead of going into downtown Memphis.

[Captain Jack]

Heard an interesting story about I-69's routing in Kentucky from someone who would be in a position to know.

Original plans were for a new-terrain routing from the Princeton area northeastward to Henderson. Before the study was completed, Congressman Ed Whitfield asked for it to be deep-sixed and instead pushed for the parkway routing between I-24 and Henderson. His reasoning was that this would push the interstate closer to his hometown of Hopkinsville, thus opening up the possibility of the Pennyrile Parkway south of the WK Parkway to become a interstate-numbered spur of I-69.

I was driving from Nashville to Evansville the other day, thinking about the Hopkinsville segment. I am in favor of the remaining section of the Pennyrile from the 69/WK interchange to I-24 being upgraded to an interstate, but I would like to see it get a designated 2-di, such as 61, instead of another 69 3-di. "61" could start in the E-ville-Hendo area, multiplex with 69, then continue southward to 24. This would make the Evansville-Nashville route alot less confusing than adding another highway altogether. I could also see this leading to a push in Indiana to continually expand "61" north towards Terre Haute and Chicago.  This would also leave Western KY with just one 69 3-di, the former Audubon Pkwy to Owensboro.

[mgk920]

Heard an interesting story about I-69's routing in Kentucky from someone who would be in a position to know.

Original plans were for a new-terrain routing from the Princeton area northeastward to Henderson. Before the study was completed, Congressman Ed Whitfield asked for it to be deep-sixed and instead pushed for the parkway routing between I-24 and Henderson. His reasoning was that this would push the interstate closer to his hometown of Hopkinsville, thus opening up the possibility of the Pennyrile Parkway south of the WK Parkway to become a interstate-numbered spur of I-69.

I was driving from Nashville to Evansville the other day, thinking about the Hopkinsville segment. I am in favor of the remaining section of the Pennyrile from the 69/WK interchange to I-24 being upgraded to an interstate, but I would like to see it get a designated 2-di, such as 61, instead of another 69 3-di. "61" could start in the E-ville-Hendo area, multiplex with 69, then continue southward to 24. This would make the Evansville-Nashville route alot less confusing than adding another highway altogether. I could also see this leading to a push in Indiana to continually expand "61" north towards Terre Haute and Chicago.  This would also leave Western KY with just one 69 3-di, the former Audubon Pkwy to Owensboro.

Heck, take a page out of WisDOT's book and have the Pennyrile become a southward extension of 'I-41'.  IMHO, upgrading the US 41/IN 63 corridor in Indiana and the Pennyrile to be a single full two-digit interstate would create a very attractive straight-shot north-south corridor for traffic between the upper Midwest (Chicagoland and beyond) and the southeast (Nashville and beyond).

This would also allow a future upgrade of the US 60 and 641 corridor between the Eddyville and Henderson areas as a more 'proper' I-69 without unnecessarily bruising any political egos.

Not facetiously, but very seriously.



Mike

[vdeane]

It doesn't look like that corridor needs a freeway at all... why should KY spend the money?

[thefro]

It doesn't look like that corridor needs a freeway at all... why should KY spend the money?

Indiana certainly wouldn't spend the money on US 41 north of Terre Haute.  Chicago to Nashville is already served by I-65

[trafficsignal]

It doesn't look like that corridor needs a freeway at all... why should KY spend the money?

Indiana certainly wouldn't spend the money on US 41 north of Terre Haute.  Chicago to Nashville is already served by I-65

Not to mention the difficulty in selling the project to the public after thoroughly dismissing the upgraded US 41 and I-70 link for new terrain I-69.

[US 41]

Everyone on the Western side of Indiana still wants US 41 / SR 63 redone, because if it was interstate quality it would be faster to drive from Nashville to Chicago via Terre Haute than via Indianapois becuse it is alot shorter drive that way. It might also improve the economy in Westen Indiana.

[tdindy88]

Not sure if I could ever see US 41 turned into a freeway across Indiana, at least not until US 31 is a complete freeway from Indy to South Bend and maybe US 30 from Valpo to Fort Wayne (hypotetically.) However, a complete freeway bypass around Terre Haute (SR 641) is certainly not out of the question and may do wonders for improve this trip. Raising the speed limit to 65 couldn't hurt either. As it is, from Clinton north to Cedar Lake there are two stoplights altogether. As far as Evansville to Terre Haute is considered, I-69 probably ruined it's chance to become a freeway in the near if not long term future.

[US 41]

SR 641 is only bypassing South Eastern Terre Haute. There have been light talks about a NE bypass or Western bypass. However I live in Terre Haute and don't see either of those bypasses happening soon, if ever.

[hbelkins]

US 41 from Terre Haute south to Evansville is a fine highway as it is. It doesn't need to be upgraded to a freeway.

[US 41]

US 41 from Terre Haute south to Evansville is a fine highway as it is. It doesn't need to be upgraded to a freeway.

What it does need is a 65 MPH speed limit.

[Captain Jack]

US 41 from Terre Haute south to Evansville is a fine highway as it is. It doesn't need to be upgraded to a freeway.

What it does need is a 65 MPH speed limit.

I'm not too sure I would call it fine..tolearable maybe, but not fine.

I agree with the increased speed limits.  In addition, I would like to see the following at a minimum between Evansville and Chicago.

*Full Bypass around Terre Haute
*Redesignate the SR 63 segment as US 41. This is idiotic in it's current state
*From Chicago, extend the 394 Freeway along the state line and then join up with US 41 near SR 2 at Lowell
*Prohibit Sullivan from running a speed trap with artificially low speed limits
*Reconfigure the US 41-50 interchange in Vincennes, especially southbound with a possible flyover

[NWI_Irish96]

*From Chicago, extend the 394 Freeway along the state line and then join up with US 41 near SR 2 at Lowell

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-03-04/classified/ct-met-getting-around-0304-20130304_1_economic-development-lynwood-roadway

This isn't exactly what you are wanting, but it will be another connection between 394 and 41.

[hbelkins]

I'm not too sure I would call it fine..tolearable maybe, but not fine.

What's wrong with it? It's four lanes, fairly flat and straight, and not overrun with traffic lights.

[US 41]

I wish Terre Haute had a full bypass. 3rd Street is a mess especially by the mall. I made a map showing the differeent options INDOT has considered. I think the Eastern Bypass has the best chance of getting built which is shown in dark green. When you click on the link give it about 10 seconds to load the map.


http://www.scribblemaps.com/create/#id=xLNlymUNzH&lat=39.42978665175039&lng=-87.52803333343549&z=11&t=Map&y=0&p=0

[Captain Jack]

I'm not too sure I would call it fine..tolearable maybe, but not fine.

What's wrong with it? It's four lanes, fairly flat and straight, and not overrun with traffic lights.

The items I mentioned above for improvements primarily.

In sections, it is overrun with stoplights..Evansville, Terre Haute and Lake County particularly. Yes, Evansville is somewhat fixed with I-164, but the other areas are too clogged. Try driving US 41 through Terre Haute during Christmas time. The same can be said for anywhere and anytime through Lake County.

There are also a few unneccessary lights and dangerous crossings all along the route. The speed limit is too low for most of the route, including the nortorious speed trap at Sullivan.

I would like to see the route as an interstate for the length of Indiana. Short of that, with just the improvements I suggested above, I think it would at least be sufficient as both an Evansville-Chicago route and as an alternative to I-65, which is getting too crowded and dangerous, especially between Indianapolis and Nashville.

[Captain Jack]

I wish Terre Haute had a full bypass. 3rd Street is a mess especially by the mall. I made a map showing the differeent options INDOT has considered. I think the Eastern Bypass has the best chance of getting built which is shown in dark green. When you click on the link give it about 10 seconds to load the map.


http://www.scribblemaps.com/create/#id=xLNlymUNzH&lat=39.42978665175039&lng=-87.52803333343549&z=11&t=Map&y=0&p=0

Those are good suggestions and ones I have also thought about over the years. Do you know if it would be feasable for it to actually run between the river and downtown Terre Haute? This would eliminate the need for a Wabash River bridge and be the shortest distance in terms of miles.

With 641 under construction, I would think that route would be the ultimate goal. Do you know when it is expected to be completed to I-70?

[NWI_Irish96]

I'm not too sure I would call it fine..tolearable maybe, but not fine.

What's wrong with it? It's four lanes, fairly flat and straight, and not overrun with traffic lights.

The items I mentioned above for improvements primarily.

In sections, it is overrun with stoplights..Evansville, Terre Haute and Lake County particularly. Yes, Evansville is somewhat fixed with I-164, but the other areas are too clogged. Try driving US 41 through Terre Haute during Christmas time. The same can be said for anywhere and anytime through Lake County.

There are also a few unneccessary lights and dangerous crossings all along the route. The speed limit is too low for most of the route, including the nortorious speed trap at Sullivan.

I would like to see the route as an interstate for the length of Indiana. Short of that, with just the improvements I suggested above, I think it would at least be sufficient as both an Evansville-Chicago route and as an alternative to I-65, which is getting too crowded and dangerous, especially between Indianapolis and Nashville.

I don't ever drive between Terre Haute and Evansville, but I can confirm the claim that I-65 is two congested south of Indy.

[US 41]

SR 641 in Terre Haute is expected to be finished by 2016. INDOT said 2015 but they didn't work on it last year so I bumped it up another year. A bridge for the Wabash would have to be built. The Terre Haute Pennitentiary is in the way, the sewage plant west of the mall is in the way, and Fairbanks Park in Downtown TH is in the way. INDOT put an estimated price on the Western Bypass and said it would cost around $500,000,000. The Eastern Bypass minus 641 would cost around 100,000,000 dollars.

[adt1982]

US 41 from Terre Haute south to Evansville is a fine highway as it is. It doesn't need to be upgraded to a freeway.

What it does need is a 65 MPH speed limit.

I'm not too sure I would call it fine..tolearable maybe, but not fine.

I agree with the increased speed limits.  In addition, I would like to see the following at a minimum between Evansville and Chicago.

*Full Bypass around Terre Haute
*Redesignate the SR 63 segment as US 41. This is idiotic in it's current state
*From Chicago, extend the 394 Freeway along the state line and then join up with US 41 near SR 2 at Lowell
*Prohibit Sullivan from running a speed trap with artificially low speed limits
*Reconfigure the US 41-50 interchange in Vincennes, especially southbound with a possible flyover

From what I have heard Parke County has been very against swapping 63 and 41.  One rumor I heard is that they are afraid tourism will drop because people will look for covered bridges along 41, not 63.

[rte66man]

^^ Actually, if you want to avoid a left exit for SB "exiting" traffic, you have to make the changes shown. It just depends on if you think it's important to make I-69 the real through road.

A variant on the design used for the western I-72/US 51 interchange at Decatur, IL, would take up less land.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=decatur,+il&hl=en&ll=39.839683,-89.044168&spn=0.013955,0.033023&sll=39.840919,-89.043353&sspn=0.013955,0.033023&hnear=Decatur,+Macon,+Illinois&t=h&z=16

Illinois seems to like that kind of interchange:
http://goo.gl/maps/yfFUZ

rte66man

[theline]

^^ Actually, if you want to avoid a left exit for SB "exiting" traffic, you have to make the changes shown. It just depends on if you think it's important to make I-69 the real through road.

A variant on the design used for the western I-72/US 51 interchange at Decatur, IL, would take up less land.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=decatur,+il&hl=en&ll=39.839683,-89.044168&spn=0.013955,0.033023&sll=39.840919,-89.043353&sspn=0.013955,0.033023&hnear=Decatur,+Macon,+Illinois&t=h&z=16

Illinois seems to like that kind of interchange:
http://goo.gl/maps/yfFUZ

rte66man

Good solution, using less ROW, but in both cases the traffic "exiting" the through road gets a left exit. Not always a deal-breaker, but a consideration.

[adt1982]

I have driven the mentioned I-55/I-72 interchange quite frequently for 6 years and I have never seen a problem with the left exit.

[Grzrd]

I hope that map is not to scale, or is Kentucky trying to win some 'largest interchange' contest?  I'm pretty sure non-loop ramps designed for 80 mph wouldn't need that big of footprint.

This (behind pay wall) article reports that KYTC is currently redesigning the interchange and that construction of it and all other Pennyrile projects necessary for the I-69 designation "could" be finished in 2015:

A 2008 law named the Pennyrile Parkway part of the I-69 route, designed to run all the way to Texas. But to become part of the federal interstate system, it still needs five construction projects, which could be finished by 2015, a state engineer said.
Kevin McClearn, chief engineer for district 2 of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, gave an update Tuesday to the regional transportation management committee of the Pennyrile Area Development District.
Right now the state is redesigning the interchange between the former Western Kentucky Parkway and the Pennyrile Parkway, in Nortonville, McClearn said.
Drivers moving from one road to the other shouldn't have to use on-ramps or off-ramps, which slow them down, he said. In the future, they'll be on I-69 the whole time.
Three of the remaining projects are also interchanges: at Kentucky 813, Kentucky 56 and Kentucky 416.
The other project is a series of improvements to the parkway itself, such as upgrading guardrails and bridge rails.