ITR closes ramp to Borman Exwy I-80, considering interchange rebuild

[Stephane Dumas]

From Tollroadnews http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/5431

The Indiana Toll Road Concession Company (ITRCC) has closed indefinitely a damaged high level ramp with the Borman Expressway I-80/I-94 to allow a time for a decision whether to repair or rebuild. The ramp at IC 21 in Lake Station allows traffic westbound on the Toll Road (ITR) to transfer onto the Borman Expressway I-80/I-94.

The third level ramp at IC21 is the scene of frequent accidents, a spokesman tells TOLLROADSnews and the company has an engineering consultant studying whether the ramp should be repaired or replaced as part of a larger rebuild to modernize the interchange. The ramp is narrow single laner with curvature sharp.

The spokesman says "poor geometry" of the ramp is likely to be responsible for the high accident rate.

The latest accident was November 2010 when a tractor trailer carrying livestock failed to take the curve, broke through a low parapet wall and plunged down onto the second level ramp below -another sharply curved, narrow ramp bringing traffic onto the Toll Road westbound.

No one was hurt but traffic was disrupted for many hours and the parapet wall was badly broken. Temporary repairs were done to the wall but last week the ramp taken out of service pending the decision on repair versus rebuild.

I remember once a map who showed a proposed "cloverstack" interchange replacement at the junction of I-80/90/94 that was at Stephen Summers' Indiana road site. I checked for it but unfortunately the Internet archive didn't saved it.

[NE2]

Here's what the article means to say:

The Indiana Toll Road Concession Company (ITRCC) has closed indefinitely a damaged high level ramp with the Borman Expressway I-80/I-94 to increase revenues.

Actually the toll via the detour (I-65) is the same. But it will probably lead to increased traffic saying 'screw it' and staying on the toll road. This might get politically ugly.

[mtantillo]

Here's what the article means to say:

The Indiana Toll Road Concession Company (ITRCC) has closed indefinitely a damaged high level ramp with the Borman Expressway I-80/I-94 to increase revenues.

Actually the toll via the detour (I-65) is the same. But it will probably lead to increased traffic saying 'screw it' and staying on the toll road. This might get politically ugly.

Exactly.  A private comany has essentially shut down I-80 (that ramp **is** I-80). 

Sure the ramp was only 1 lane wide, but i'm sure it was built up to the applicable design standards of the time (20 foot wide lane, even if no shoulders on the ramp). 

[mgk920]

What's the current status of the plans to substantially re-engineer that interchange that I saw ten years or so ago?  It was pretty elaborate and would have solved all of those issues.



Mike

[Brandon]

Here's what the article means to say:

The Indiana Toll Road Concession Company (ITRCC) has closed indefinitely a damaged high level ramp with the Borman Expressway I-80/I-94 to increase revenues.

Actually the toll via the detour (I-65) is the same. But it will probably lead to increased traffic saying 'screw it' and staying on the toll road. This might get politically ugly.

Exactly.  A private comany has essentially shut down I-80 (that ramp **is** I-80). 

Sure the ramp was only 1 lane wide, but i'm sure it was built up to the applicable design standards of the time (20 foot wide lane, even if no shoulders on the ramp). 

Have either one of you ever been on that ramps?  I'm guessing not.  It is in bad repair after having several trucks tip over on it in the past 10 years or so.  It is in dire need of replacement.  As for vehicles saying "screw it" and staying on the the Toll Road, I don't think so.  A lot of that traffic is headed around Chicago.  It'll take I-65 back to I-80/94 instead of the Skyway.

[ssummers72]

I'm a NW Indiana Resident and here is the scoop so far:

1. There was a major semi accident that took place at the interchange, the semi went through the WB Tollroad to WB I-80/94 ramp causing damage to the guardrail, which had been re-inforced with a Jersey type barrier. The semi then landed on the EB Tollroad to I-80/94 ramp and when it landed it caused damage to the parapet wall thus forcing the closure of the ramp. As for the time frame of re-opening, there is no set date, The ITR company and INDOT are discussing what should be done. As for the detour, it has been temporarily setup via I-90 West to I-65 South back to I-80/94.

The main argument among NW Indiana residents is, when are they going fix the ramp? This goes back to the Cline Avenue argument which is another topic.

Lastly, I have a copy of the proposed plans for whole interchange redesign, but this was before the Tollroad lease.

I hope this helps.

Stephen Summers

[mukade]

OK, so this is probably a stupid question, but why are not the insurance companies of the trucks that caused the accidents paying for the repairs? That interchange must be repaired quickly somehow.

I am a former NW Indiana resident. I would say the Cline Avenue situation is different. While the Cline Avenue extension made sense back in the 1970s, the traffic counts it had before closure make such a costly rebuild very questionable (at best). The mills used to employ many more workers for one thing, and I think some of the mills that existed back then are gone now.

[Sykotyk]

Because the insurance company wouldn't pay for it to be 'brand new', only the nominal loss of the truck taking out an already dilapidated structure that was badly outdated. That cost is  not enough to really rebuild the bridge.

I've been on that ramp many times. It's a horrible horrible setup. It amazes me that with the traffic I-80 sees from Indiana to Iowa that it must navigate that horrid excuse of an interchange.

[Brandon]

^^ It's been that way since 1964, when the Burns Harbor Interchange opened.  I remember the toll plaza that used to be on the ramps between the two roads.  They took it out in 1985 or so when they built the Willowcreek Toll Plaza and moved the ticketing system a bit to the east.