Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[ilpt4u]

Well, the closure of I-465 eastbound between I-70 and I-65 is underway. And as expected I-70 is experiencing what I would call "Race Day" traffic heading east into downtown. From I-465 to the South Split at this moment is 37 minutes to travel 7 miles. It's been well into the 40+ minute range at peak times. Sam Jones Exwy/Raymond Street heading east is no better and a poor substitute. I see traffic backing up along SR 144 a couple of miles west of I-69 due to detoured traffic. To be fair I think the detour is fine out of peak traffic times but if anyone is passing through Indianapolis in the afternoon from west to east I would highly recommend changing your route or your timing.

Notably, the I-69 Finish Line social media pages have been very quiet. Their website has the weekly update on it but there's nothing on Facebook or Twitter. They know that they are absolutely going to get it from the public right now if they put something up.

I keep watching the stretch of I-465 between US 31 and I-65, I wonder if anything significant is going to be happening there during this closure.

It was MUCH worse yesterday - an hour+ to go from Exit 68 to Exit 80 EB.

How much longer does it take to go "the long way" /Inner loop/CCW between 70 West Side and 70 East Side or 65 South Side? Is it getting bad enough at rush hour to make that a feasible option?

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Well, the closure of I-465 eastbound between I-70 and I-65 is underway. And as expected I-70 is experiencing what I would call "Race Day" traffic heading east into downtown. From I-465 to the South Split at this moment is 37 minutes to travel 7 miles. It's been well into the 40+ minute range at peak times. Sam Jones Exwy/Raymond Street heading east is no better and a poor substitute. I see traffic backing up along SR 144 a couple of miles west of I-69 due to detoured traffic. To be fair I think the detour is fine out of peak traffic times but if anyone is passing through Indianapolis in the afternoon from west to east I would highly recommend changing your route or your timing.

Notably, the I-69 Finish Line social media pages have been very quiet. Their website has the weekly update on it but there's nothing on Facebook or Twitter. They know that they are absolutely going to get it from the public right now if they put something up.

I keep watching the stretch of I-465 between US 31 and I-65, I wonder if anything significant is going to be happening there during this closure.

It was MUCH worse yesterday - an hour+ to go from Exit 68 to Exit 80 EB.

How much longer does it take to go "the long way" /Inner loop/CCW between 70 West Side and 70 East Side or 65 South Side? Is it getting bad enough at rush hour to make that a feasible option?

Easily. This afternoon to go from our house to the circle downtown was almost 2 hours! It was even crazy enough GM had a route suggestion to take 465 up to 74, and cut down via Crawfordsville and 16th down to 65 south.
I think this might get even worse when they reverse the closure in July. Normally it's WB that backs up in the afternoon on 465, so that worries me. But boy, safe to say INDOT made a LOT of people in this city mad. They could've planned this closure a lot better too, it was delivered on a very short notice. We had many months in advance for the North Split and I-69 in Martinsville.

[silverback1065]

when is this widening project supposed to be complete?

[abqtraveler]

Well, the closure of I-465 eastbound between I-70 and I-65 is underway. And as expected I-70 is experiencing what I would call "Race Day" traffic heading east into downtown. From I-465 to the South Split at this moment is 37 minutes to travel 7 miles. It's been well into the 40+ minute range at peak times. Sam Jones Exwy/Raymond Street heading east is no better and a poor substitute. I see traffic backing up along SR 144 a couple of miles west of I-69 due to detoured traffic. To be fair I think the detour is fine out of peak traffic times but if anyone is passing through Indianapolis in the afternoon from west to east I would highly recommend changing your route or your timing.

Notably, the I-69 Finish Line social media pages have been very quiet. Their website has the weekly update on it but there's nothing on Facebook or Twitter. They know that they are absolutely going to get it from the public right now if they put something up.

I keep watching the stretch of I-465 between US 31 and I-65, I wonder if anything significant is going to be happening there during this closure.

It was MUCH worse yesterday - an hour+ to go from Exit 68 to Exit 80 EB.

How much longer does it take to go "the long way" /Inner loop/CCW between 70 West Side and 70 East Side or 65 South Side? Is it getting bad enough at rush hour to make that a feasible option?

Easily. This afternoon to go from our house to the circle downtown was almost 2 hours! It was even crazy enough GM had a route suggestion to take 465 up to 74, and cut down via Crawfordsville and 16th down to 65 south.
I think this might get even worse when they reverse the closure in July. Normally it's WB that backs up in the afternoon on 465, so that worries me. But boy, safe to say INDOT made a LOT of people in this city mad. They could've planned this closure a lot better too, it was delivered on a very short notice. We had many months in advance for the North Split and I-69 in Martinsville.

Any word on how bad traffic is on the northern half of I-465 with the southern leg being closed?

[silverback1065]

Well, the closure of I-465 eastbound between I-70 and I-65 is underway. And as expected I-70 is experiencing what I would call "Race Day" traffic heading east into downtown. From I-465 to the South Split at this moment is 37 minutes to travel 7 miles. It's been well into the 40+ minute range at peak times. Sam Jones Exwy/Raymond Street heading east is no better and a poor substitute. I see traffic backing up along SR 144 a couple of miles west of I-69 due to detoured traffic. To be fair I think the detour is fine out of peak traffic times but if anyone is passing through Indianapolis in the afternoon from west to east I would highly recommend changing your route or your timing.

Notably, the I-69 Finish Line social media pages have been very quiet. Their website has the weekly update on it but there's nothing on Facebook or Twitter. They know that they are absolutely going to get it from the public right now if they put something up.

I keep watching the stretch of I-465 between US 31 and I-65, I wonder if anything significant is going to be happening there during this closure.

It was MUCH worse yesterday - an hour+ to go from Exit 68 to Exit 80 EB.

How much longer does it take to go "the long way" /Inner loop/CCW between 70 West Side and 70 East Side or 65 South Side? Is it getting bad enough at rush hour to make that a feasible option?

Easily. This afternoon to go from our house to the circle downtown was almost 2 hours! It was even crazy enough GM had a route suggestion to take 465 up to 74, and cut down via Crawfordsville and 16th down to 65 south.
I think this might get even worse when they reverse the closure in July. Normally it's WB that backs up in the afternoon on 465, so that worries me. But boy, safe to say INDOT made a LOT of people in this city mad. They could've planned this closure a lot better too, it was delivered on a very short notice. We had many months in advance for the North Split and I-69 in Martinsville.

Any word on how bad traffic is on the northern half of I-465 with the southern leg being closed?

no change. normal backups due to construction and not enough lanes on the north side, that's it.

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Well, the closure of I-465 eastbound between I-70 and I-65 is underway. And as expected I-70 is experiencing what I would call "Race Day" traffic heading east into downtown. From I-465 to the South Split at this moment is 37 minutes to travel 7 miles. It's been well into the 40+ minute range at peak times. Sam Jones Exwy/Raymond Street heading east is no better and a poor substitute. I see traffic backing up along SR 144 a couple of miles west of I-69 due to detoured traffic. To be fair I think the detour is fine out of peak traffic times but if anyone is passing through Indianapolis in the afternoon from west to east I would highly recommend changing your route or your timing.

Notably, the I-69 Finish Line social media pages have been very quiet. Their website has the weekly update on it but there's nothing on Facebook or Twitter. They know that they are absolutely going to get it from the public right now if they put something up.

I keep watching the stretch of I-465 between US 31 and I-65, I wonder if anything significant is going to be happening there during this closure.

It was MUCH worse yesterday - an hour+ to go from Exit 68 to Exit 80 EB.

How much longer does it take to go "the long way" /Inner loop/CCW between 70 West Side and 70 East Side or 65 South Side? Is it getting bad enough at rush hour to make that a feasible option?

Easily. This afternoon to go from our house to the circle downtown was almost 2 hours! It was even crazy enough GM had a route suggestion to take 465 up to 74, and cut down via Crawfordsville and 16th down to 65 south.
I think this might get even worse when they reverse the closure in July. Normally it's WB that backs up in the afternoon on 465, so that worries me. But boy, safe to say INDOT made a LOT of people in this city mad. They could've planned this closure a lot better too, it was delivered on a very short notice. We had many months in advance for the North Split and I-69 in Martinsville.

Any word on how bad traffic is on the northern half of I-465 with the southern leg being closed?

Northern side has it's own problems, with Clearpath 465 and the soon-to-be construction of the NW side fix.

In other news, another afternoon, 35 mins to go 70E from Exit 68 to 90 (23 miles) right now, and rising.

[Captain Jack]

I think the surface streets are a better option at this point. Last week from Ft. Wayne to Evansville, I stayed on Binford to Emerson, down to Raymond, then south on Harding into 37-69. I have also done the same route over to Kentucky Avenue and down 67 to Martinsville.

If you avoid downtown, the crosstown surface streets such as Shadeland, 38th, Raymond etc seem to move along pretty well and certainly beat sitting in stopped and crawling traffic on 465.

[cjw2001]

Weekly update from the I69 project:  https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/INDOT/bulletins/35fa0d7

[ITB]

The closure of eastbound I-465 between I-70 and Mann Road is now featured on the satellite view of Google maps.


Google Maps
I-465/SR 67—Kentucky Avenue interchange

[tdindy88]

The closure of eastbound I-465 between I-70 and Mann Road is now featured on the satellite view of Google maps.


Google Maps
I-465/SR 67—Kentucky Avenue interchange

Actually, that image is from another time when they closed I-465/74 eastbound. I'm guessing the 2018 project which also closed the eastbound and westbound lanes (at different times each) to do work on the interstate.

That project can be viewed here: https://www.in.gov/indot/projects/i-465-southwest-project/

If the image you shared was actually from this year you would see the shifted lanes along I-465 and work being along the eastbound lanes (such as new sound barrier walls east of Kentucky Avenue or the rebuilt Mooresville Road bridge.) None of that shows up in this image, so it's almost certainly from 2018.

Weekly update from the I69 project:  https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/INDOT/bulletins/35fa0d7

The image on their update looks like the eastbound bridge over Lick Creek east of US 31. I seriously would love to know exactly what's been done so far.

As for me, the trip home has been roughly another ten to fifteen minutes in length. More or less I've traveled Washington Street straight thorough downtown and either take Meridian to I-70 or Washington to I-65. Little bit of a pain but not the worse either. Not that I want to do it forever though!

[jakeroot]

Actually, that image is from another time when they closed I-465/74 eastbound. I'm guessing the 2018 project which also closed the eastbound and westbound lanes (at different times each) to do work on the interstate.

Google Earth pegs the imagery as taken 31 August 2018, so you nailed it.

[ITB]

Actually, that image is from another time when they closed I-465/74 eastbound. I'm guessing the 2018 project which also closed the eastbound and westbound lanes (at different times each) to do work on the interstate.

That project can be viewed here: https://www.in.gov/indot/projects/i-465-southwest-project/

If the image you shared was actually from this year you would see the shifted lanes along I-465 and work being along the eastbound lanes (such as new sound barrier walls east of Kentucky Avenue or the rebuilt Mooresville Road bridge.) None of that shows up in this image, so it's almost certainly from 2018.

Yup. I should have checked it out more fully before posting.

[vtk]

Central Avenue wants to do a road trip with me Labor Day weekend; maybe we'll pass through Indy and get drone footage of the 69/465 south junction if the airspace isn't too restricted (looks like it is indeed too restricted).

[ITB]

Picture time. Photos were taken Thursday, June 15, 2023, unless otherwise noted.

Motored up to Indy's southside to take some pictures of I-465 during the closure of the eastbound lanes between I-70 and I-65. Plans are to reopen those lanes next week, then close the corresponding westbound lanes for 23 days in July. While there are a couple of quiet areas, the entire work zone is alive with activity. Crews are pushing hard and concrete pavement has been put down both east and west of the I-465/SR-37-Harding Street interchange. More beams also have been placed for the I-465 west to I-69 south flyover. Lots of work still to do and only 18 months to get it done.

Let's go to the pictures.


Looking east toward I-465 from the Mann Road overpass. The two brown poles in the background are where construction of the new eastbound bridge over the White River is underway. Plans are to complete the bridge by the end of the year. Further back work continues on the I-69 interchange.


Different perspective without the long range lens.


Another view. The road is Thompson Road which in this vicinity deadends near the open gate. At the bottom of the slope is a small creek called Harmon Ditch. I-465 crosses this creek via a bridge (left), and it appears preps are underway for the eastbound replacement bridge. Either that or a large culvert.


Pavement slab cut from the eastbound roadway just east of the Mann Road overpass; looking north. Don't quite know what's going on here. Some drainage work might have been done, and now it's being prepped for the replacement concrete.


The future eastbound lanes of I-465; looking east from just east of the Mann Road overpass.


The view looking north from the new Epler Avenue overpass. In the background is where I-69 north splits to the ramps for either I-465 east or I-465 west.


Longer range perspective; looking northwest. They've started gnawing away at the massive surcharge. It's probably take a month if not more to completely remove it. Could be upwards of a thousand articulated dump truck loads. After it's gone, it will be allow a nice view as the interchange takes shape.


Another view looking east from the Mann Road overpass.


Looking southeast from the Epler Avenue overpass. Not much progress in this area recently. State Road 37 is in the background. The location of the two articulated dump trucks in the deep background is roughly where I-69 will veer off toward the new I-465 interchange.


Here's another view of the large earth surcharge; looking northwest from the Epler Avenue overpass.


And another from the Mann Road overpass. In Indiana, the muggy summer haze can be thick and heavy.


What the eye sees.


Another perspective from the Epler Avenue overpass; looking southeast. Picture eight lanes of interstate coming right through here, starting about where the blue building is in the background.


One more with the long range lens looking east from the Mann Road overpass. Security for this project is robust. Off duty law enforcement officers in marked vehicles have been posted at several locations in the work zone. All the more so with the temporary closure of the eastbound lanes.

More to come.

[bmeiser]

In Indiana, the muggy summer haze can be thick and heavy.

The Canadian wildfires are adding to that haze.

[FixThe74Sign]

Great pictures as always. The bulk of the work during this closure seems to be concentrated between 65 and SR 37. It has been fantastic weather the past few weeks for this closure.

That cut out of pavement is weird. I hope they aren't planning on trying to save and re-use the existing pavement and just repairing sections.

[ITB]

In Indiana, the muggy summer haze can be thick and heavy.

The Canadian wildfires are adding to that haze.

Very likely.

That cut out of pavement is weird. I hope they aren't planning on trying to save and re-use the existing pavement and just repairing sections.

They probably did the cut to do some drainage work. After the temporary concrete patch job completes, it will ready to handle the necessary traffic shifts as work gets underway on the westbound lanes as well as on other sections of the eastbound lanes. When those projects finish and traffic can be shifted back, most likely they'll come back to the area of the cut and rubblize all the old pavement, and then replace with new concrete. That's just my hunch. I don't see this concrete pavement being saved. Of course, I could be completely off track, then again, maybe not.

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Very shocked we're not seeing more hate on social media regarding the 465 EB closure. I guess people are happy it opens back up on Wednesday. Will be interesting to see how people cope with the westbound closure come July 7th.

[ITB]

Few more pictures. Again, photos were taken Thursday, June 15, 2023, unless otherwise noted.

Although the focus of construction has generally shifted to Marion County, contractors Crider & Crider and Rieth Riley, among others, are still hard at work in Johnson County, finishing up Smith Valley Road overpass and interchange as well as paving long stretches of mainline between State Road 144 and Fairview Road. Another area where work is still ongoing is the SR 144 interchange and the mainline bridges over Bluff Creek just to the south.

I-69/State Road 144 interchange, Johnson County


At 8:15pm, a crew awaits the arrival of the truck bringing concrete to pour an approach slab section for the southbound bridge over Bluff Creek; looking southeast from the State Road 144 overpass.


View looking north from the SR 144 overpass using the long range lens. The thick haze nearly obscures the Smith Valley Road overpass in the deep background. On the left a paving crews is at work on the southbound right shoulder. In case you're wondering, the BGS in the middle-right reads:

Smith Valley Rd  2   
I-465                10   
Indianapolis      20


The paving crew at work about a quarter mile north of SR 144 overpass; looking west. It's unusual to shoot directly into the sun, but the thick summer haze, along with Canadian wildfire residue smoke, made it possible.


More signage, this time looking west toward the eastern roundabout at the I-69/SR 144 interchange.


Long range view looking south from the SR 144 overpass. Currently, all traffic in this vicinity is running on the northbound lanes. After the southbound paving completes, which will be soon, traffic will be shifted to the newly finished roadway. But it's not clear, to me, how four lanes of traffic will be maintained, as the southbound bridge over Bluff Creek appears just a bit too narrow. Three lanes, yes, four, hmm ... that's really a tight squeeze, if possible at all. Anyway, how MOT is managed when they seal off the northbound roadway to begin work to replace the northbound bridge over Bluff Creek will be, if anything, interesting. It's possible they'll just demo 3/4 of the northbound bridge, leaving one travel lane available.


Decorative element at the SR 144 overpass; looking west. Seems like a couple of huge planters for trees and bushes, but who knows.


Another view looking north from the SR 144 overpass. Yeah, guys, we know, it's been a long day.


Different perspective; looking south from the SR 144 overpass. Later, I noticed the crew busy with the concrete pour, but, alas, it was getting rather late for another stop.


One more shot looking north from the SR 144 overpass, with the shoulder paving crew on the left.


Closer look at the paving crew; looking west.

[Interstate 69 Fan]

I-69 shields and signs are up on WB Southport Road... with a future banner on top of them. That's got to be a first for Indiana for uncovered signs.

[Sapphuby]

I check up on this thread as often as I can because I get really invested in interstate construction, and I am loving the new info on this. I'm also loving the new photos every time they release, as every once in a while it gets dull when there's not enough info for that time period or nothing happens to be done for a while. I think I was invested in this as much as I was about the Bella Vista bypass when it was being built 2 years ago. It's always fun to hear about new interstate stuff.

[ilpt4u]

I check up on this thread as often as I can because I get really invested in interstate construction, and I am loving the new info on this. I'm also loving the new photos every time they release, as every once in a while it gets dull when there's not enough info for that time period or nothing happens to be done for a while. I think I was invested in this as much as I was about the Bella Vista bypass when it was being built 2 years ago. It's always fun to hear about new interstate stuff.

If I lived a little closer to Poplar Bluff MO I would consider something similar for I-57 progress, tho I don't have the high quality cameras and lenses, just my iPhone 14

I find new interstate mileage is exciting as well in addition to the construction process

[edwaleni]

I check up on this thread as often as I can because I get really invested in interstate construction, and I am loving the new info on this. I'm also loving the new photos every time they release, as every once in a while it gets dull when there's not enough info for that time period or nothing happens to be done for a while. I think I was invested in this as much as I was about the Bella Vista bypass when it was being built 2 years ago. It's always fun to hear about new interstate stuff.

If I lived a little closer to Poplar Bluff MO I would consider something similar for I-57 progress, tho I don't have the high quality cameras and lenses, just my iPhone 14

I find new interstate mileage is exciting as well in addition to the construction process

Actually you don't need a fancy SLR body camera to take good pics, your iPhone 14 should work fine. Post away!

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Looks like most of the I-69 NB to I-465 EB ramp is paved. Unclear how much it goes past the interchange, but my bet is when they connect this ramp into existing SR 37, it will open first.

New BGS up EB for Exit 8 too.

[X99]

Decorative element at the SR 144 overpass; looking west. Seems like a couple of huge planters for trees and bushes, but who knows.

Definitely bushes. Tree roots would grow so far outwards that they would destroy those foundations.

Actually you don't need a fancy SLR body camera to take good pics, your iPhone 14 should work fine. Post away!

I was constraining myself with the same idea- I figured my S10e (and later S21) camera wouldn't be good enough to get good pictures of South Dakota's first DDI in progress, so I just gave text descriptions of the progress. That project is now complete, and the new most interesting construction project in the city is Block 5, which wouldn't fit this forum since it's a building.