After a fairly long period of no construction on this new freeway in Terre Haute, INDOT awards a $25M+ contract for the next section of SR 641 to Walsh Construction. I think more contracts to complete SR 641 will be let later this year.
INDOT Announces the Next Phase of State Road 641 Project Awarded (http://www.in.gov/activecalendar/EventList.aspx?view=EventDetails&eventidn=50906&information_id=102043&type=&syndicate=syndicate) (from INDOT)
Maybe I'm not seeing the whole picture, but why does it take five to six years to build a three to four mile freeway around the southern suburbs of Terre Haute and it takes only four years or so to build some 60 miles of Interstate 69 in southern Indiana?
I don't know the exact answer, but environmental "concerns" were apparently raised on the eastern section, so they studied some alternate routes after initial construction had begun. The INDOT web site shows some alternatives here (http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/sr641/maps.html). I am not sure which alternative was selected.
A better INDOT document documenting the environmental re-evaluation is entitled SR 641 PHASES III & IV (http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/sr641/pdf/CACPres_04-29-08.pdf).
Quote from: tdindy88 on January 16, 2012, 09:46:03 PM
Maybe I'm not seeing the whole picture, but why does it take five to six years to build a three to four mile freeway around the southern suburbs of Terre Haute and it takes only four years or so to build some 60 miles of Interstate 69 in southern Indiana?
One reason was to wait until the I-69 bids were all in, and to see how much under estimates they were. That allowed more money for the smaller jobs....
I suspect the lower bids financed at least parts of I-69 between US 231 and SR 37, but SR 641 is supposed to be a funded Major Moves project. As a matter of fact, SR 641 even predates Major Moves even though it is now a MM project.
Politically, I would think that if this key part of the I-70/US 41 potential routing of I-69 were built before the new terrain route was well underway, it could have been problematic.
As for the selected route for SR 641, the INDOT Letting document (http://www.in.gov/indot/div/lettings/18MonthsConstLettingDetailsMM_Ext.pdf) shows that it will connect to SR 46 at I-70 more or less the way that was originally planned - if I read it right. See the 10/11/2012 lettings.
Quote from: tdindy88 on January 16, 2012, 09:46:03 PM
Maybe I'm not seeing the whole picture, but why does it take five to six years to build a three to four mile freeway around the southern suburbs of Terre Haute and it takes only four years or so to build some 60 miles of Interstate 69 in southern Indiana?
Interstate 69 is a higher prioroty project than 641. If I69 wouldve came to Terre Haute, 641 would be done already.