IN SR 25 Upgrade Report

[Henry]

I recently saw on Google Maps that the small portion of old SR 25 heading into Delphi is now Business SR 25, does anyone know if this is true, or just another error by Google?

Perhaps this should answer it for you:

The road is very nice with several overpasses and most of these have "one-quadrant interchanges". It temporarily ends at a diamond interchange in Delphi and of course there is the existing I-65 interchange and roundabout in Lafayette.

BTW, it's a very nice-looking road!

[NE2]

That photo doesn't answer it, since it's at the Lafayette end.

[PurdueBill]

On Saturday there were no mentions of "Business 25" anywhere--just "Old 25" at both the roundabout at the southern end of the new road and at the intersection with the new roadway that ties in the old road to Delphi with the new.

[mgk920]

Sorry for being a bit late to the party on this project (slapslapslapslapslap...), but it is an interesting one in an interesting corridor.

Add me to the list of those who are not fully enamored with this highway's side-road 'interchanges', as well as its Lafayette end.  OTOH, it does get the major part of the roadway BUILT and functioning and as time passes, the needs arise and funding becomes available, further improvements can be made (sort of like how WisDOT has been doing their major non-interstate corridors since before WWII).

One question relating to the entire corridor, what is the current line of thinking for tying the east end of this corridor into I-69 in the Huntington to Fort Wayne area?  Could we be seeing a new-ROW connection running about due eastward from US 24 on Huntington's north side to I-69 at about that curve (it's by those two '10's on the RMcN road atlas map of Indiana)?

Mike

[silverback1065]

What they should do is in Roanoke, make 24 turn straight east and connect at the interchange with 469/69, it makes no sense to drive north for a few miles, only to backtrack south to the 469/69 interchange, just to keep following US 24. 

[mukade]

Add me to the list of those who are not fully enamored with this highway's side-road 'interchanges', as well as its Lafayette end. 

If you notice, the single quadrant interchanges are where the highway parallels the railroad tracks. Putting at-grade railroad crossings and intersections is pretty dangerous, and this road does not have the volume of traffic to make it a full freeway so I think they are appropriate. The roundabout, likewise, works for now, at least. I drove down the highway today, and it certainly was not an inconvenience. I suppose the big danger would be if someone ignored the speed limit and warning signs and sped into it

One question relating to the entire corridor, what is the current line of thinking for tying the east end of this corridor into I-69 in the Huntington to Fort Wayne area?  Could we be seeing a new-ROW connection running about due eastward from US 24 on Huntington's north side to I-69 at about that curve (it's by those two '10's on the RMcN road atlas map of Indiana)?

I think the Fort Wayne MPO wants Lafayette Center Road improved between US 24 and I-469/I-69. Whether or not that would be a freeway or would be designated as US 24, I have no idea.

If the corridor would be extended southwest of Lafayette to I-74, it would create an interesting alternative for some travelers - basically, it would be all freeway or expressway from St. Joseph, Missouri to Toledo, Ohio.

[tdindy88]

If I recall as well, INDOT is planning on rerouting US 24 around the north side of Fort Wayne with both US 24 and US 30 following the northern half of I-469. That would make the US 24 route not as akward by backtracking itself, in fact I believe that is the actual reason. Not that a connection along Lafayette Center Road isn't needed, it is.

[silverback1065]

Add me to the list of those who are not fully enamored with this highway's side-road 'interchanges', as well as its Lafayette end. 

If you notice, the single quadrant interchanges are where the highway parallels the railroad tracks. Putting at-grade railroad crossings and intersections is pretty dangerous, and this road does not have the volume of traffic to make it a full freeway so I think they are appropriate. The roundabout, likewise, works for now, at least. I drove down the highway today, and it certainly was not an inconvenience. I suppose the big danger would be if someone ignored the speed limit and warning signs and sped into it

One question relating to the entire corridor, what is the current line of thinking for tying the east end of this corridor into I-69 in the Huntington to Fort Wayne area?  Could we be seeing a new-ROW connection running about due eastward from US 24 on Huntington's north side to I-69 at about that curve (it's by those two '10's on the RMcN road atlas map of Indiana)?

I think the Fort Wayne MPO wants Lafayette Center Road improved between US 24 and I-469/I-69. Whether or not that would be a freeway or would be designated as US 24, I have no idea.

If the corridor would be extended southwest of Lafayette to I-74, it would create an interesting alternative for some travelers - basically, it would be all freeway or expressway from St. Joseph, Missouri to Toledo, Ohio.

The roundabout is ok I guess, it is very dangerous if you ignore the speed limit!  I think the roundabout was unnecessary.

[silverback1065]

If I recall as well, INDOT is planning on rerouting US 24 around the north side of Fort Wayne with both US 24 and US 30 following the northern half of I-469. That would make the US 24 route not as akward by backtracking itself, in fact I believe that is the actual reason. Not that a connection along Lafayette Center Road isn't needed, it is.

That would solve the problem, but I personally think the laf center idea is much better, but it would be more expensive.

[silverback1065]

Sorry for being a bit late to the party on this project (slapslapslapslapslap...), but it is an interesting one in an interesting corridor.

Add me to the list of those who are not fully enamored with this highway's side-road 'interchanges', as well as its Lafayette end.  OTOH, it does get the major part of the roadway BUILT and functioning and as time passes, the needs arise and funding becomes available, further improvements can be made (sort of like how WisDOT has been doing their major non-interstate corridors since before WWII).

One question relating to the entire corridor, what is the current line of thinking for tying the east end of this corridor into I-69 in the Huntington to Fort Wayne area?  Could we be seeing a new-ROW connection running about due eastward from US 24 on Huntington's north side to I-69 at about that curve (it's by those two '10's on the RMcN road atlas map of Indiana)?

Mike

That's an interesting idea.  Does anyone know why INDOT just put 1 interchange (at sr9) in that area? Why not make the entire bypass with interchanges?

[RoadWarrior56]

I am glad many the single-quadrant interchanges/intersections I added in the concept phase survived to be incorporated into what was built in the field.  They were put in primarily due to proximity to the railroad, it was the only way to intersect SR 25 with some of these cross roads.

As far as the roundabout is concerned, I think that is a great place to put one.  It serves as a transition from the high-speed expressway to an already developed corridor with driveways, traffic signals, etc.  The design of the roundabout itself will tend to slow traffic traveling through it, without resorting to a traffic light.  The alternative would had been a traffic signal with a probable high number of rear-end collisions in the southbound direction on SR 25.

[tdindy88]

That's an interesting idea.  Does anyone know why INDOT just put 1 interchange (at sr9) in that area? Why not make the entire bypass with interchanges?

I've wondered that myself. Having family in Huntington I've been up that way many times and if you look at it from aerial photography you can see that at the SR 5/US 224 intersection with US 24 land is cleared out for a diamond interchange. I presume one was planned but just never built. But if the need ever came for one there getting the land would be a breeze.

[mukade]

Does anyone know why INDOT just put 1 interchange (at sr9) in that area? Why not make the entire bypass with interchanges?

Well, US 24 at Old US 24 is also an interchange. If you look at Google Maps satellite view, you see that at SR 5/US 224, they plan(ned) an interchange.

The biggest mystery to me about US 24 in Huntington is why the put traffic lights so close to the SR 9 interchange. A couple of overpasses would make that area a lot faster and safer.

[PurdueBill]

Does anyone know why INDOT just put 1 interchange (at sr9) in that area? Why not make the entire bypass with interchanges?

The biggest mystery to me about US 24 in Huntington is why the put traffic lights so close to the SR 9 interchange. A couple of overpasses would make that area a lot faster and safer.

The traffic light east of SR 9 always seems to turn red against a platoon of traffic on 24; now they have added (in the past year or so, iIrc) a light just west at the hospital too.  I too have wondered why they bothered to build an interchange with SR 9 at all. 

As far as Lafayette Center Road, whether it's posted as 24 or not, people in the know already go that way anyway, including truck traffic.  The road could use an upgrade, but being county roads, it may be tougher than if INDOT owned the road.  Interesting though that eastbound they have signs blazing the trail to the FWA airport to turn right on CR 900 N/Lafayette Center Rd....off of US 24 and then right back onto US 24 a couple miles later!

About something for a different thread, I noticed a couple weeks ago that the outermost advance sign on Lafayette Center EB for the 69 interchange was redone; the INTERSTATE text in the 69 and 469 shields differs in width between the two.  Don't recall seeing that in Indiana much before; it always seemed to be more of an Ohio thing. 

[silverback1065]

That entire corridor has a lot of oddities in my opinion, like why does US 24 jog left (just outside of Logansport) when it splits from US 35? shouldn't it be the other way around?  Also, what will become of the current US24/35 south of logansport when the new 25 is finished, will it be removed, will it be a new state route, or will it be nameless?

[mukade]

That entire corridor has a lot of oddities in my opinion, like why does US 24 jog left (just outside of Logansport) when it splits from US 35? shouldn't it be the other way around?  Also, what will become of the current US24/35 south of logansport when the new 25 is finished, will it be removed, will it be a new state route, or will it be nameless?

Because the US 35 bypass existed for years and the re-routing of US 24 happened in 2001. US 24 used to go through downtown Logansport. The same situation holds true in Huntington where US 24 joins SR 9. Perhaps if US 24 becomes a more major corridor, they can change those two intersections, but for now, they are only minor inconveniences.

On the west side of Logansport, US 24 will exit itself when the new interchange is completed. Personally, I'd rather see US 24 follow the Hoosier Heartland all the way to Lafayette even if it makes US 24 a longer route across the state. To me, the corridor needs a single number - and I am really not in favor of the Illinois 110 or Iowa 27 strategies.

As for removal of current US 35/US 24, I think the eastbound lanes will be removed and what is left will not be a state road.

[Revive 755]

On the west side of Logansport, US 24 will exit itself when the new interchange is completed. Personally, I'd rather see US 24 follow the Hoosier Heartland all the way to Lafayette even if it makes US 24 a longer route across the state. To me, the corridor needs a single number - and I am really not in favor of the Illinois 110 or Iowa 27 strategies.

What happens then if the Hoosier Heartland ever gets extended beyond Lafayette to I-74?

[mukade]

On the west side of Logansport, US 24 will exit itself when the new interchange is completed. Personally, I'd rather see US 24 follow the Hoosier Heartland all the way to Lafayette even if it makes US 24 a longer route across the state. To me, the corridor needs a single number - and I am really not in favor of the Illinois 110 or Iowa 27 strategies.

What happens then if the Hoosier Heartland ever gets extended beyond Lafayette to I-74?

That is a huge if that borders on the fictional. Thus, I can say I-72.

[silverback1065]

This is slightly off topic, but I've seen these all over Indiana highways, has anyone seen the blue square sign that says "historical marker 1 mile" what is the significance of these signs? (other than the fact that they are mile markers)

[tdindy88]

It just informs you that there is a historic marker (something denoting something of historic significance in that area) in one mile next to the highway in case you feel the urge to pull over and read said marker.

[mgk920]

^^

Wisconsin does that, too.

Mike

[silverback1065]

It just informs you that there is a historic marker (something denoting something of historic significance in that area) in one mile next to the highway in case you feel the urge to pull over and read said marker.

Thanks that makes sense I never knew that

[Alps]

^^

Wisconsin does that, too.

Mike

As does every province in Western Canada.

[TEG24601]

On Saturday there were no mentions of "Business 25" anywhere--just "Old 25" at both the roundabout at the southern end of the new road and at the intersection with the new roadway that ties in the old road to Delphi with the new.

You can blame me for the Business SR 25 listing on Google Maps.  While it is currently being referred to as "Old 25" (from the previous rerouting), Delphi is hoping to get it designated as "Business 25" after the full road is complete, as they already have roads named Old 25, and they can't figure out what else to call them or the old 25 route once the State Road designation is removed.  When I was back in Delphi in December, I was hearing from some people that there was even a discussion about a 421/39/18 bypass of the city, at least to the route coming from Pitsburg/West Delphi, to remove even more truck traffic from the tight city streets.

[silverback1065]

On Saturday there were no mentions of "Business 25" anywhere--just "Old 25" at both the roundabout at the southern end of the new road and at the intersection with the new roadway that ties in the old road to Delphi with the new.

You can blame me for the Business SR 25 listing on Google Maps.  While it is currently being referred to as "Old 25" (from the previous rerouting), Delphi is hoping to get it designated as "Business 25" after the full road is complete, as they already have roads named Old 25, and they can't figure out what else to call them or the old 25 route once the State Road designation is removed.  When I was back in Delphi in December, I was hearing from some people that there was even a discussion about a 421/39/18 bypass of the city, at least to the route coming from Pitsburg/West Delphi, to remove even more truck traffic from the tight city streets.

I don't see a 421/39/18 bypass for a while