IN: US 31 South Bend to Plymouth Upgrade report

[nwi_navigator_1181]

Four-lane, non-interstate freeways can go up to 65 MPH, and I think the US 20/US 31 bypass around South Bend is an example (if not the only) of that. Also on that note, there are very few freeways in Indiana that aren't interstates, so the examples are very few. Four lane highways that are not freeways can go up only to 60 miles per hour. Only interstates can go up to 70.

This. Like what you said, the St. Joseph Valley Parkway (U.S. 20/31) is one of the only two highways that are freeway standard, but not Interstates. There is the Vincennes Bypass (U.S. 41/50/150), but I can't confirm or deny if it carries a 65 MPH speed limit.

I see U.S. 31 carrying a 65 MPH speed limit, with gradual reductions to 55 as it draws closer to its junction to I-465.

EDIT: As the WSBT package shows, it looks like expressway sections of U.S. 31 will carry 65 MPH speed limits.

[mukade]

St. Joseph Valley Parkway (U.S. 20/31) is one of the only two highways that are freeway standard, but not Interstates

Actually, there are others:
- SR 62 in Evansville
- SR 265 (future I-265)
- SR 641 in Terre Haute
- SR 912 (Cline Avenue) in NW Indiana
- US 24 east of Fort Wayne also has a freeway section that will soon be extended
- supposedly US 31 in Kokomo will be open from SR 22 to SR 26 this year
...and you could say Keystone Parkway


Depending on what your definition of "is" is, you could also say:
- SR 49 in Valparaiso which has 4.5 miles of fully controlled access with three interchanges and several overpasses
- SR 67 (Muncie Bypass) which has 4.2 miles of fully controlled access with three interchanges and at least a couple of overpasses

There is the Vincennes Bypass (U.S. 41/50/150), but I can't confirm or deny if it carries a 65 MPH speed limit.

Vincennes US 41 freeway has a 60 MPH speed limit.

I see U.S. 31 carrying a 65 MPH speed limit, with gradual reductions to 55 as it draws closer to its junction to I-465.

Every Indy freeway (and NW Indiana and Fort Wayne urban freeway for that matter) is 55 MPH so I doubt that US 31 in Hamilton County will be any different.

[wh15395]

Every Indy freeway (and NW Indiana and Fort Wayne urban freeway for that matter) is 55 MPH so I doubt that US 31 in Hamilton County will be any different.

Fort Wayne is 65 MPH, plus I-69 North in Indianapolis/Fishers is 65 MPH.

[ssummers72]

In Northwest Indiana:
The Tollroad (I-90 & 80/90) is 70MPH from IL/IN line to IN/OH Line except between MM-20 to 25 where it is 55MPH or below.

On I-65 it is 65MPH from its Northern Terminus to MM-257 where it bumps to 65MPH and then at MM-252 it goes upto 70MPH.

On I-94 the 70MPH zone starts at MM-17 and proceeds Eastward to the IN/MI Line

[mukade]

Fort Wayne is 65 MPH, plus I-69 North in Indianapolis/Fishers is 65 MPH.

Yep, Fort Wayne is 65 and even 70 south of Jefferson. I-69 from 96th south was 55 as I remember the flags.

To the point, US 31 in Hamilton County will be 55 MPH. See Frequently Asked Questions.

What will the speed limit be?

The improved US 31 Hamilton County is being designed for a 55 mph speed limit.

There will be 11 interchanges in 13 miles on US 31 with one of them from 151st to Range Line being a monster. That would not lend itself to high speeds. Also, if Kokomo US 31 isn't 65 MPH (as those plans show 60 MPH), there is no way the much more congested Hamilton County section would be. One huge difference with I-69 compared to US 31 is that the 10th interchange on I-69 past I-465 is probably at Daleville or Muncie.

[NWI_Irish96]

Was in the area over the weekend and they have started doing some work at US 6. 

[mukade]

While describing difficult situations, I am not sure all these stories are 100% true. I read in Kokomo, the owners of a furniture store that became a victim to the construction said it was the best thing that happened to them as they got a new, better location. Also, I have a hard time believing the state gave 10% of a property's value as the one homeowner implied in the linked article.

U.S. 31 project leaves many living in uncertainty (IBJ)

[agentsteel53]

I know some people who are getting quite the sweet deal to get bought out of land which will become I-40 west of Barstow.  they held out for a while, and Caltrans kept upping the offer, until they accepted.

[NWI_Irish96]

INDOT's facebook page has some good photos:

http://www.facebook.com/INDOTNorthwest/photos

[NWI_Irish96]

US 6 will close between US31 and Lilac Road from September 17-22 as part of the project.

Not part of the US 31 project but nearby, IN 331 will be closed in Mishawaka between IN 933 and 12th Street from September 17-28 as part of the Capital Avenue project. 

[theline]

Sign assembly going up near Roosevelt Rd. overpass (I think). Courtesy of the INDOT Northwest FB page:

[NWI_Irish96]

Sign assembly going up near Roosevelt Rd. overpass (I think). Courtesy of the INDOT Northwest FB page:

Yes, that's exactly where it is.  I was able to see that sign assembly while traveling NB on the existing 31 where the new and old roads cross just south of Roosevelt.

[roadman65]

I see the present cloverleaf between US 31 and US 20 will not be upgraded according to the plans.  Somehow both old and new US 31 will come together south of the cloverleaf, probably  the same way how they transformed the new I-69 at I-64 near Evansville where it used to be a two lane road north of there.  Now the original roadway is dead end and traffic must use a new diamond interchange with  a cross road just north of I-64 on I-69.

[mukade]

A map can be seen here.

The decision to keep the cloverleaf was made some time ago. This is consistent with keeping the current US 24/I-469 interchange. The opted to build more miles of roads and avoid rebuilding interchanges that are generally functional.

[tdindy88]

And it saves money I presume. I guess we should be lucky that they are rebuilding the interchange at I-465 and US 31.

[Henry]

A map can be seen here.

The decision to keep the cloverleaf was made some time ago. This is consistent with keeping the current US 24/I-469 interchange. The opted to build more miles of roads and avoid rebuilding interchanges that are generally functional.

And it saves money I presume. I guess we should be lucky that they are rebuilding the interchange at I-465 and US 31.

Not only does it save money, it's also proof that not every new freeway needs an Interstate shield attached to it.

[NWI_Irish96]

http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/sbt-oneday-closure-set-along-us-6-20121211,0,3238785.story

The Indiana Department of Transportation has announced the one-day closure of U.S. 6 between U.S. 31 and Lilac Road beginning at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday and continuing through 7 p.m. that day, weather permitting.

The closure is necessary to ensure driver safety while crews set beams for the new U.S. 31 overpass, according to a news release.

A detour will take eastbound traffic south on U.S. 31, east on U.S. 30, north on Indiana 331, north on Indiana 106, and back to U.S. 6.

Westbound traffic will travel from U.S. 6, south on Indiana 106, south on Indiana 331, west on U.S. 30, north on U.S. 31 and back to U.S. 6.

[roadman65]

South of US 6 where the wye interchange is with US 31 and Old US 31, is that interchange going to come down?  I imagine that not that coming from points south of Old US 31 interchange will need to use the present US 31 (soon to be old US 31) and the small amount that does could use US 6.

However, those heading south on the new freeway to Plymouth will have to exit at US 6 and head west to Old US 31. If not stay on US 31 to US 30 or to Lincolnway.

[theline]

South of US 6 where the wye interchange is with US 31 and Old US 31, is that interchange going to come down?  I imagine that not that coming from points south of Old US 31 interchange will need to use the present US 31 (soon to be old US 31) and the small amount that does could use US 6.

However, those heading south on the new freeway to Plymouth will have to exit at US 6 and head west to Old US 31. If not stay on US 31 to US 30 or to Lincolnway.

There will be another exit between US-6 and US-30. This one will be at 7th Road, which will be extended west from its current end at Linden Trail. See the exit near the right edge of this PDF: http://www.us31plysb.com/assets/maps/US_30_to_7th_Road.pdf

I'm unclear whether there are plans to extend 7th Road west to old-old US 31, but I would presume so.

[tdindy88]

Taking a look at the maps from the project's website, it looks as if the Old US 31 will continue as a four-lane highway past that interchange to the intersection of 4A Road and Maple Road, at which point US 31 will continue as Maple Road south to 5A Road where the road ends. Nothing mentions the wye interchange further north, implying that it may very well stay. On that note it seems to make more sense to route the Old US 31 onto Michigan Road itself and forget the part to the southeast of that interchange. I don't see any homes or businesses along the current stretch of US 31 and 4A Road (that can't be accessed by other roads) that would make that stretch of 31 necessary. Take out the interchange and curve Michigan Road north into the future Old US 31 route.

[theline]

Old 31 will probably be maintained, at least in rudimentary form, for access to the INDOT maintenance facility at 4A and Maple Roads. I agree that there will be little reason for anyone else to use the 1-plus mile section of old highway.

[NWI_Irish96]

South of US 6 where the wye interchange is with US 31 and Old US 31, is that interchange going to come down?  I imagine that not that coming from points south of Old US 31 interchange will need to use the present US 31 (soon to be old US 31) and the small amount that does could use US 6.

However, those heading south on the new freeway to Plymouth will have to exit at US 6 and head west to Old US 31. If not stay on US 31 to US 30 or to Lincolnway.

To summarize most of what has already been said.  Coming southbound on what will soon be "Old" 31, the exit for Michigan Rd/Plymouth will still exist.  I imagine the BGS for thru traffic will be changed to read "Maple Rd"  I also think the existing road is getting cut down from 4 to 2 lanes from that point south.  As Old 31 approaches 4A Rd, it will get curved a bit to smoothly transition to Maple Rd.  That leaves about 1/4 mile of Old 31 south of 4A Rd that will not carry traffic.

I know that at some point there was input from the residents along Michigan Rd that they did not want an exit from New 31 onto Michigan Rd but maybe INDOT wasn't going to have one anyway.

[mukade]

The following article describe's new governor Mike Pence's view on a full US 31 upgrade from Indy to South Bend.

The most recent boost of enthusiasm stems from an address by Pence to the U.S. 31 Coalition at
a luncheon on Jan. 15 in Indianapolis. The governor, Hannon said, pledged his support for the
ongoing upgrades and improvements, down the road, for the U.S. 31 segments not impacted by
the current work...

U.S. 31 upgrade to Indy: "˜Going gangbusters' (Elkhart Truth and US 31 Coalition)

[monty]

More US 31 news in the Kokomo Tribune & Indy Star today.  The completion of the full US 31 corridor from Indianapolis to South Bend is a priority of the governor's. 

http://www.indystar.com/article/20130210/NEWS05/302100346/Gov-Pence-prioritizes-3-road-projects-How-will-they-paid-

http://kokomotribune.com/local/x1303546110/Completing-U-S-31-a-priority

[NWI_Irish96]

http://kokomotribune.com/local/x1303546110/Completing-U-S-31-a-priority

Once completed Bagwell said there will be only two railroad crossings that could slow traffic between Indianapolis and South Bend. One is the railroad crossing in Tipton County between Ind. 28 and Division Road and the second is in Lakeville.

There is no railroad crossing in Lakeville.  There is one south of Plymouth between 13th and 14th roads.