Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[ITB]

Picture update. Although summery warm, it wasn't the best day for picture taking as thin, high clouds covered the sky. Nevertheless, with the opening of the I-69/I-465 interchange scheduled for next month, I motored up for another look-see. Photos were taken Saturday, July 27, 2024.


On the south side of Indianapolis, looking north from the Epler Avenue overpass toward the ramps of the I-69/I-465 interchange.


As luck would have it, a pavement marking crew was getting ready to work. The first step, undertaken by the white and yellow equipment, was grinding shallow grooves into the asphalt. With tape measure in hand, the operator of that machine was out checking and rechecking measurements.


Closer look. The machine, called a Grinder Hog, is made by Hog Technologies. It grinds and vacuums the material at the same time. It's a very loud machine. Trust me. Loud, baby.


Checking again to make sure everything is as it's supposed to be.


After a few minutes, a small truck equipped with an air compressor passed over the grooves to thoroughly clean them out.


Next, an adhesive was then sprayed into each groove.


Crew members then placed the thermoplastic pavement markings, one by one, into the grooves.


Closer look.


And another.


Following the crew putting down the markings was a truck used to tamp the tape markings, removing any air if present. It's also possible the truck was equipped with a heat torch of some sort to anneal the markings or to put down a sealant.


Earlier, here's the Grinder Hog getting prepped to begin work.

More photos to come.

[ITB]

Another set. Again, photos were taken Saturday, June 27, 2024.


Looking south from the Epler Avenue overpass. At the time of the photo, the pavement marking crew was assembling north of Epler. Note the mark on the pavement to the right of the broken white lines (foreground). That indicates where the one-third-length broken merge line will end.


The Grinder Hog nearing its completion point of this run.


More expansive perspective.


Long range view. The Grinder Hog has turned around to work on the northbound lanes.


Checking measurements.


Another look.


Mid-range view looking north from the Epler Avenue overpass.


Arriving to do some work.


There was a paint truck on site, but instead of painting lines, it was just putting down guide marks.


Another long range shot looking south from Epler.

[ITB]

Few more.


On the far south side of Indianapolis, looking north from the Southport Road overpass.


Zoomed in view. In this area, a second pavement marking crew was gearing up to begin work.


Another zoomed in perspective. After southbound traffic has been shifted to the new pavement, the northbound lanes will be completely re-striped.


Mainline paving work appears to be completed, both to the north of the Southport Road interchange and to the south.


Another look.


One more, a long range view.

[rickmastfan67]

Picture update. Although summery warm, it wasn't the best day for picture taking as thin, high clouds covered the sky. Nevertheless, with the opening of the I-69/I-465 interchange scheduled for next month, I motored up for another look-see. Photos were taken Saturday, July 27, 2024.


On the south side of Indianapolis, looking north from the Epler Avenue overpass toward the ramps of the I-69/I-465 interchange.

Interesting that the I-465 interchange is given the exit number of 164, meanwhile the 162 MM is right there. lol.

[Rick Powell]

Always like the ITB pictorial updates!

Apparently there is one lane open on the new Southbound pavement through the south side of the Southport Road interchange. Maybe this is to get vehicles across the barrier opening north of Southport to the next interchange exit at County Line Rd. If you open the traffic camera and click on the screen to play you will see an occasional vehicle driving south, west of the barrier.

https://511in.org/@-86.20667,39.6548,14?show=incidents,normalCameras,stationsAlert,weatherWarningsAreaEvents,plowCameras,flooding#camera/3125/3595316755

[tdindy88]

Interesting that the I-465 interchange is given the exit number of 164, meanwhile the 162 MM is right there. lol.

Interesting as well. That SHOULD be Exit 163, Epler Avenue should be Exit 162. That probably should be changed at some point. I know earlier they had the wrong exit number for Southport Road and that was subsequently changed.

[IndyAgent]

Its amazing that Billions of dollars and thousands hours of planning and construction and they mess up on the exit numbers? That does not look good

[jnewkirk77]

Its amazing that Billions of dollars and thousands hours of planning and construction and they mess up on the exit numbers? That does not look good

If that's the worst thing that happens, it's really not a big deal.

[CtrlAltDel]

I would never have guessed that these stripes were set by hand.

[KelleyCook]

Interesting as well. That SHOULD be Exit 163, Epler Avenue should be Exit 162. That probably should be changed at some point. I know earlier they had the wrong exit number for Southport Road and that was subsequently changed.

Close enough for government work

[silverback1065]

I would never have guessed that these stripes were set by hand.

Those I believe are called "preformed plastic" markers, they're basically stickers. I'm surprised they didn't use thermoplastic.

[Henry]

Interesting that the I-465 interchange is given the exit number of 164, meanwhile the 162 MM is right there. lol.

Interesting as well. That SHOULD be Exit 163, Epler Avenue should be Exit 162. That probably should be changed at some point. I know earlier they had the wrong exit number for Southport Road and that was subsequently changed.

Wikipedia has the southern I-465 interchange as Exit 163, so I hope that goof is corrected--and it will--before they open the whole thing (which is supposed to take place by the end of this month).

[Rothman]

Interesting that the I-465 interchange is given the exit number of 164, meanwhile the 162 MM is right there. lol.

Interesting as well. That SHOULD be Exit 163, Epler Avenue should be Exit 162. That probably should be changed at some point. I know earlier they had the wrong exit number for Southport Road and that was subsequently changed.

Wikipedia has the southern I-465 interchange as Exit 163, so I hope that goof is corrected--and it will--before they open the whole thing (which is supposed to take place by the end of this month).

Neither DOTs nor FHWA consider being a number or two off as being a big goof.

[Rick Powell]

I would never have guessed that these stripes were set by hand.

Those I believe are called "preformed plastic" markers, they're basically stickers. I'm surprised they didn't use thermoplastic.

Some of the newer "glued in place" traffic markings are more durable and reflective than thermoplastic, especially when they are set in an indention routed into the pavement where the markings are less likely to be snagged by a snowplow, a dragging exhaust system, or other hazard.

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Interesting that the I-465 interchange is given the exit number of 164, meanwhile the 162 MM is right there. lol.

Interesting as well. That SHOULD be Exit 163, Epler Avenue should be Exit 162. That probably should be changed at some point. I know earlier they had the wrong exit number for Southport Road and that was subsequently changed.

Wikipedia has the southern I-465 interchange as Exit 163, so I hope that goof is corrected--and it will--before they open the whole thing (which is supposed to take place by the end of this month).

This is quite interesting, considering the BGS just south of the Epler Ave bridge has it as Exit 163 (see ITB's post in late November 2023), yet it's signed as 164 at the split... not sure what's going on here. My guess is a signage mistake.

[Henry]

Interesting that the I-465 interchange is given the exit number of 164, meanwhile the 162 MM is right there. lol.

Interesting as well. That SHOULD be Exit 163, Epler Avenue should be Exit 162. That probably should be changed at some point. I know earlier they had the wrong exit number for Southport Road and that was subsequently changed.

Wikipedia has the southern I-465 interchange as Exit 163, so I hope that goof is corrected--and it will--before they open the whole thing (which is supposed to take place by the end of this month).

This is quite interesting, considering the BGS just south of the Epler Ave bridge has it as Exit 163 (see ITB's post in late November 2023), yet it's signed as 164 at the split... not sure what's going on here. My guess is a signage mistake.

I hope so.

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Drove the entire length of the I-465 overlap. All I-69 signs are in place (covered of course) on intersecting roads besides Emerson Avenue and US 40. Very little to no reassurance shields on I-465 itself, besides around the I-69 interchange on the south side.

There was a NB reassurance shield just after Exit 40 NB, even without a future banner.

[Rick Powell]

Drove the entire length of the I-465 overlap. All I-69 signs are in place (covered of course) on intersecting roads besides Emerson Avenue and US 40. Very little to no reassurance shields on I-465 itself, besides around the I-69 interchange on the south side.

There was a NB reassurance shield just after Exit 40 NB, even without a future banner.

Does the I-69 interchange look like it's ready to open? Because other than some barrier moves, the I-69 mainline sure looks ready from the Trafficwise cams.

[ITB]

Drove the entire length of the I-465 overlap. All I-69 signs are in place (covered of course) on intersecting roads besides Emerson Avenue and US 40. Very little to no reassurance shields on I-465 itself, besides around the I-69 interchange on the south side.

There was a NB reassurance shield just after Exit 40 NB, even without a future banner.

Does the I-69 interchange look like it's ready to open? Because other than some barrier moves, the I-69 mainline sure looks ready from the Trafficwise cams.

It's very close. Might open next week or the week after. Three weeks max.
 

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Drove the entire length of the I-465 overlap. All I-69 signs are in place (covered of course) on intersecting roads besides Emerson Avenue and US 40. Very little to no reassurance shields on I-465 itself, besides around the I-69 interchange on the south side.

There was a NB reassurance shield just after Exit 40 NB, even without a future banner.

Does the I-69 interchange look like it's ready to open? Because other than some barrier moves, the I-69 mainline sure looks ready from the Trafficwise cams.

Absolutely ready to get on and off EB 465, there's even lane markings on 465 now, but unsure on WB.

[tdindy88]

They'll rig something up for the westbound movements I suspect. It will be a very temporary setup that could change when more of the westbound lanes and bridges get finished.

[I-55]

Drove the entire length of the I-465 overlap. All I-69 signs are in place (covered of course) on intersecting roads besides Emerson Avenue and US 40. Very little to no reassurance shields on I-465 itself, besides around the I-69 interchange on the south side.

There was a NB reassurance shield just after Exit 40 NB, even without a future banner.

Does the I-69 interchange look like it's ready to open? Because other than some barrier moves, the I-69 mainline sure looks ready from the Trafficwise cams.

It's very close. Might open next week or the week after. Three weeks max.
 

2-3 weeks from now is when IU students move back in so there's no way it's planned to open any later than that

[ITB]

Drove the entire length of the I-465 overlap. All I-69 signs are in place (covered of course) on intersecting roads besides Emerson Avenue and US 40. Very little to no reassurance shields on I-465 itself, besides around the I-69 interchange on the south side.

There was a NB reassurance shield just after Exit 40 NB, even without a future banner.

Does the I-69 interchange look like it's ready to open? Because other than some barrier moves, the I-69 mainline sure looks ready from the Trafficwise cams.

It's very close. Might open next week or the week after. Three weeks max.
 

2-3 weeks from now is when IU students move back in so there's no way it's planned to open any later than that

Just got back from a trip to the work zone. Although solid progress is evident, there's still a good amount of work to do, in particular on the long flyover ramp that will carry I-69N to I-465W. Seems unlikely the interchange will be ready to open next week. Two weeks from now appears more probable.

[cjw2001]

Drove the entire length of the I-465 overlap. All I-69 signs are in place (covered of course) on intersecting roads besides Emerson Avenue and US 40. Very little to no reassurance shields on I-465 itself, besides around the I-69 interchange on the south side.

There was a NB reassurance shield just after Exit 40 NB, even without a future banner.

Does the I-69 interchange look like it's ready to open? Because other than some barrier moves, the I-69 mainline sure looks ready from the Trafficwise cams.

It's very close. Might open next week or the week after. Three weeks max.
 

2-3 weeks from now is when IU students move back in so there's no way it's planned to open any later than that

Just got back from a trip to the work zone. Although solid progress is evident, there's still a good amount of work to do, in particular on the long flyover ramp that will carry I-69N to I-465W. Seems unlikely the interchange will be ready to open next week. Two weeks from now appears more probable.

According to this news story the interchange will open tomorrow 6 August 2024.

[I-55]

Drove the entire length of the I-465 overlap. All I-69 signs are in place (covered of course) on intersecting roads besides Emerson Avenue and US 40. Very little to no reassurance shields on I-465 itself, besides around the I-69 interchange on the south side.

There was a NB reassurance shield just after Exit 40 NB, even without a future banner.

Does the I-69 interchange look like it's ready to open? Because other than some barrier moves, the I-69 mainline sure looks ready from the Trafficwise cams.

It's very close. Might open next week or the week after. Three weeks max.
 

2-3 weeks from now is when IU students move back in so there's no way it's planned to open any later than that

Just got back from a trip to the work zone. Although solid progress is evident, there's still a good amount of work to do, in particular on the long flyover ramp that will carry I-69N to I-465W. Seems unlikely the interchange will be ready to open next week. Two weeks from now appears more probable.

According to this news story the interchange will open tomorrow 6 August 2024.

A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one