The I-65/70 North Split Reconstruction

[ITB]

70 Westbound opening this weekend

https://fox59.com/indiana-news/i-70-westbound-through-downtown-indianapolis-reopens-this-weekend/

This will be a much welcome opening.  Westbound 70 for the past two weeks has been a mess during most of the morning rush hours. 

Traffic exiting to West Street / MLK has been backed up through the north split most days and nearly to Keystone / Rural a few days. 

This will open up a few more access points to downtown.

Yes, that traffic backup has been nasty. Unfortunately, the opening of I-70 westbound through the split probably won't change all that much. No new exits are being opened. The exit to Michigan Street will be as it was, except traffic will be shifted to its permanent ramp alignment. The only change forthcoming is westbound I-70 traffic will be able to pass through Indy via the split, thus avoiding I-465.

Tough to tell the impact this morning with an accident in the lanes going from 70 to 65.

While no closed exits have opened yet, the opening of 70 westbound does give drivers access to three exits that can access downtown:

East Street is accessible for everyone working at Lilly.  I imagine at least some people have been exiting at Michigan and winding down to Lilly.  Hopefully that takes them off the Michigan ramp.

The Meridian / McCarty and Missouri / West exits are now available for those that work near the south end of the CBD.  I park between Washington and Maryland.  Today I went around to the Missouri exit and came up past the stadiums to access my garage off Maryland.  This was the route I took for more the last 20 years or so pre-Construction.  It was much less hectic than taking 65 to MLK and working down that way.

The opening is a welcome change.

Good points. Glad the opening has made your commute easier. And those accidents on I-70W, oh my, what headaches they cause with the lengthy backups. Hopefully, the opening will bring about a reduction of incidents.

[cjw2001]

New drone video just posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHCBuJPQPUQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T6DFMXdEGI

[davewiecking]

Drone videos posted Sunday:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2kusbfUwtg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMdTu5qdeBY

If I had to guess, I'd say the next to open would be WB I-70 to NB I-65 on the final path, removing the wrong way traffic from the flyover ramp.

[silverback1065]

Drone videos posted Sunday:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2kusbfUwtg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMdTu5qdeBY

If I had to guess, I'd say the next to open would be WB I-70 to NB I-65 on the final path, removing the wrong way traffic from the flyover ramp.

I agree, getting that movement open will open up the mainline tie-ins to be worked on. i notice that the C/D from 65s hasn't even been started yet. i don't see that opening until late summer at this rate, they are focused on the main movements for now.

[ITB]

I agree, getting that movement open will open up the mainline tie-ins to be worked on. i notice that the C/D from 65s hasn't even been started yet. i don't see that opening until late summer at this rate, they are focused on the main movements for now.

For the past couple of months, the contractor has been utilizing mixers to supply the concrete for paving. This has slowed things down considerably. I imagine the mixers are being used to better maintain the concrete temperature and consistency, especially with the special admixtures added for cold weather paving. Plus, there are only so many mixers available. As the weather warms, we'll once again see dump trucks delivering concrete, and that should speed things up. The C/D from I-65S is being graded. It's a short section, so they should be able to knock it out in the next month or so. Being optimistic, I tend to think most heavy construction will be wrapping up by the end of April.

[cjw2001]

Looks like the Calvary street ramp to eastbound I 70 reopened today. 

https://www.wthr.com/article/traffic/traffic-news/i-70-calvary-street-ramp-reopening/531-c6ecf877-c959-45d0-ba2a-96a4916a167d

[CtrlAltDel]

I agree, getting that movement open will open up the mainline tie-ins to be worked on. i notice that the C/D from 65s hasn't even been started yet. i don't see that opening until late summer at this rate, they are focused on the main movements for now.

For the past couple of months, the contractor has been utilizing mixers to supply the concrete for paving. This has slowed things down considerably. I imagine the mixers are being used to better maintain the concrete temperature and consistency, especially with the special admixtures added for cold weather paving. Plus, there are only so many mixers available. As the weather warms, we'll once again see dump trucks delivering concrete, and that should speed things up. The C/D from I-65S is being graded. It's a short section, so they should be able to knock it out in the next month or so. Being optimistic, I tend to think most heavy construction will be wrapping up by the end of April.

Just out of curiosity, do these mixers have an effect on the pavement once it's cured? Do they affect its longevity or durability and so on?

[davewiecking]

Just out of curiosity, do these mixers have an effect on the pavement once it's cured? Do they affect its longevity or durability and so on?

If done properly (and we assume the contractor has plenty of experience with using admixtures in concrete), no. The pour is covered with insulating blankets, and the curing time is slightly longer, but the end result is concrete of equal strength and durability.

[silverback1065]

Calvary Street ramp to 65/70 is open now. Indy is doing a study on capping the south split. that would be a really cool idea to come to fruition, a lot of cities around the country are starting to do this, allows for the interstate to stay and connectivity can return, a win for both sides. 

[davewiecking]

Calvary Street ramp to 65/70 is open now. Indy is doing a study on capping the south split. that would be a really cool idea to come to fruition, a lot of cities around the country are starting to do this, allows for the interstate to stay and connectivity can return, a win for both sides. 

More info: https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/articles/feds-provide-2m-to-study-reconnecting-indy-neighborhoods-fragmented-by-inner-loop

[cjw2001]

Latest drone videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFJeeJbV-p4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRGkJScFci4

[cjw2001]

According to the I-69 project newsletter (yes, really) the new I 70 Westbound to I 65 Northbound connection in the North Split will open this Thursday night weather permitting.  This will take the westbound traffic off the current temporarily path on the flyover bridge.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/INDOT/bulletins/3513936

[74/171FAN]

According to the I-69 project newsletter (yes, really) the new I 70 Westbound to I 65 Northbound connection in the North Split will open this Thursday night weather permitting.  This will take the westbound traffic off the current temporarily path on the flyover bridge.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/INDOT/bulletins/3513936

Does this mean that I should be able to clinch I-65 through Indianapolis once this is done?

[silverback1065]

According to the I-69 project newsletter (yes, really) the new I 70 Westbound to I 65 Northbound connection in the North Split will open this Thursday night weather permitting.  This will take the westbound traffic off the current temporarily path on the flyover bridge.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/INDOT/bulletins/3513936

Does this mean that I should be able to clinch I-65 through Indianapolis once this is done?

no, not until May. 65 mainline movements won't open until April according to INDOT and by April i expect that to mean 4/30/23 

[74/171FAN]

According to the I-69 project newsletter (yes, really) the new I 70 Westbound to I 65 Northbound connection in the North Split will open this Thursday night weather permitting.  This will take the westbound traffic off the current temporarily path on the flyover bridge.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/INDOT/bulletins/3513936

Does this mean that I should be able to clinch I-65 through Indianapolis once this is done?

no, not until May. 65 mainline movements won't open until April according to INDOT and by April i expect that to mean 4/30/23 

The full mainline I agree with, but I am thinking that I can just consider the North Split itself as 1PPI and clinch I-65 and I-70 fully otherwise.

[cjw2001]

According to the I-69 project newsletter (yes, really) the new I 70 Westbound to I 65 Northbound connection in the North Split will open this Thursday night weather permitting.  This will take the westbound traffic off the current temporarily path on the flyover bridge.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/INDOT/bulletins/3513936

Updated drone video just posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYyMcETa_bI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnG55znnOsY

[FixThe74Sign]

One thing I noticed in the drone videos, is a sign showing how to get onto 65 South after taking the 70 Westbound to Meridan St / Pennsylvania St exit.



Why would they need a sign directing people to 65 South from this exit? I can't think of any reason.

[cjw2001]

One thing I noticed in the drone videos, is a sign showing how to get onto 65 South after taking the 70 Westbound to Meridan St / Pennsylvania St exit.



Why would they need a sign directing people to 65 South from this exit? I can't think of any reason.

Actually there will be no access from I 70 Westbound to that exit.   So the only traffic that can use that would be I 65 Northbound traffic.  (In the video you can see the barrier wall under construction that will prevent traffic on the I 70 Westbound to I 65 Northbound ramp from using that exit.)

[FixThe74Sign]

Bah, I knew that. I don't know why I messed that up. But that only makes that sign's reason for existing even more confusing.

[tdindy88]

Maybe they want people coming from northbound I-65 to know how to get back to southbound I-65. Just grasping at straws here.

[silverback1065]

Bah, I knew that. I don't know why I messed that up. But that only makes that sign's reason for existing even more confusing.

It's for people wanting to do a u-turn, i.e. immediately get back on 65 from Delaware, which is no longer possible. hence the sign. gotta take penn all the way down to washington

[cjw2001]

According to the I-69 project newsletter (yes, really) the new I 70 Westbound to I 65 Northbound connection in the North Split will open this Thursday night weather permitting.  This will take the westbound traffic off the current temporarily path on the flyover bridge.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/INDOT/bulletins/3513936

The North Split project finally got around to announcing this - cutover work will begin at 9 pm tonight. 

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/INDOT/bulletins/351e8d4

[davewiecking]

According to the I-69 project newsletter (yes, really) the new I 70 Westbound to I 65 Northbound connection in the North Split will open this Thursday night weather permitting.  This will take the westbound traffic off the current temporarily path on the flyover bridge.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/INDOT/bulletins/3513936

The North Split project finally got around to announcing this - cutover work will begin at 9 pm tonight. 

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/INDOT/bulletins/351e8d4

Link to keep an eye on the progress:
https://511in.org/camera/3902/@-86.14359,39.78265,15?show=incidents,normalCameras,trafficSpeeds#camera/4204/1397188768

[cjw2001]

The Delaware/11th Street ramp to I 70 Eastbound is scheduled to temporarily close tomorrow for 10 days:

The Indiana Department of Transportation will close the Delaware/11th Street on-ramp to I-70 EB starting on or after Tuesday, April 18 through Friday, April 28, weather permitting.

During this closure North Split crews will build permanent barrier wall to allow safe merging onto I-70 EB. Once the ramp reopens, two lanes will be open from I-65 SB to I-70 EB and the ramp lane will merge onto I-70 EB.

As a reminder, under the permanent North Split interchange configuration, there will no longer be access to I-65 SB via the Delaware/11th Street ramp.

[silverback1065]

The Delaware/11th Street ramp to I 70 Eastbound is scheduled to temporarily close tomorrow for 10 days:

The Indiana Department of Transportation will close the Delaware/11th Street on-ramp to I-70 EB starting on or after Tuesday, April 18 through Friday, April 28, weather permitting.

During this closure North Split crews will build permanent barrier wall to allow safe merging onto I-70 EB. Once the ramp reopens, two lanes will be open from I-65 SB to I-70 EB and the ramp lane will merge onto I-70 EB.

As a reminder, under the permanent North Split interchange configuration, there will no longer be access to I-65 SB via the Delaware/11th Street ramp.

This must be the traffic shift they posted on the signs on 65s recently. things must be moving to their permanent condition now.