More US 31 upgrades between Indy and South Bend

[silverback1065]

it must be pretty bad to have them close it down completely!

[PurdueBill]

The road opened in 2015 and was already having pavement issues within two years of opening. This example (GSV) shows just how bad the roadway has deteriorated.

I'm not sure if the northbound lanes are that bad, but there were issues when I last drove over it. It might not require the level of intervention that the southbound lanes require.

This pavement was designed to last 50 years without the need for replacement. It's not even lasted 10 without a major rehab.

Looking at the 2015 street view when new and the 2018 street view, it's amazing how bad it got after only 3 years!  Big cracked section right there that fast. 
Reminds me of how after the new SR 25 opened south of Logansport, it only took a couple years for the pavement to fail around Clymers.  INDOT said a "non-conforming mix" was to blame for it having to be all repaved after less than 3 years.   

[Great Lakes Roads]

The road opened in 2015 2013 and was already having pavement issues within two years of opening. This example (GSV) shows just how bad the roadway has deteriorated.

I'm not sure if the northbound lanes are that bad, but there were issues when I last drove over it. It might not require the level of intervention that the southbound lanes require.

This pavement was designed to last 50 years without the need for replacement. It's not even lasted 10 without a major rehab.

The bypass around Kokomo actually opened to traffic in November 2013.

[ysuindy]

I guess for someone from Indy like me going to several Notre Dame football games this year it's better for southbound to be closed when I'm coming back thru around 930 pm than having northbound closed going thru on Saturday morning.

But we have to assume there will be a northbound closure in 2026?

[silverback1065]

The road opened in 2015 and was already having pavement issues within two years of opening. This example (GSV) shows just how bad the roadway has deteriorated.

I'm not sure if the northbound lanes are that bad, but there were issues when I last drove over it. It might not require the level of intervention that the southbound lanes require.

This pavement was designed to last 50 years without the need for replacement. It's not even lasted 10 without a major rehab.

Looking at the 2015 street view when new and the 2018 street view, it's amazing how bad it got after only 3 years!  Big cracked section right there that fast. 
Reminds me of how after the new SR 25 opened south of Logansport, it only took a couple years for the pavement to fail around Clymers.  INDOT said a "non-conforming mix" was to blame for it having to be all repaved after less than 3 years.   

i remember this being a big story when that was announced. if i remember correctly it involved litigation! they checked mixes all around the state that came from the same supplier i think

[mukade]

The road opened in 2015 2013 and was already having pavement issues within two years of opening. This example (GSV) shows just how bad the roadway has deteriorated.

I'm not sure if the northbound lanes are that bad, but there were issues when I last drove over it. It might not require the level of intervention that the southbound lanes require.

This pavement was designed to last 50 years without the need for replacement. It's not even lasted 10 without a major rehab.

The bypass around Kokomo actually opened to traffic in November 2013.

I lived in the Kokomo area when the new bypass was being built and opened. The worst section of the highway suffering from the failing concrete pavement is from the southern junction with SR 931 up to the railroad overpass just south of SR 26. Beyond that, there are smaller spots that have failed.

The unusual thing about the part that has the big problems is that the pavement was laid 1-2 months before the highway opened. To my untrained eye, it seemed rushed. I have to find my construction photographs to look at the precise dates, but the rest of the pavement on all other sections had been in place at least several months before opening. The earliest section completed (Kokomo Creek to just south of SR 22/US 35) was done as part of the 2008 Economic Stimulus plan as it was "shovel ready". I think the condition of that pavement is still pretty good.

The ramps from US 31 to SR 22/US 35 also experienced very noticeable transverse cracking during the first couple of years.

If remember correctly, there were three prime contractors for the various sections. I don't know what the problem that caused the failure was or even which contractor might have taken responsibility, but I think the concrete that failed came from that portable concrete plant they put up at the SR22/US 35 interchange. At least one contractor just used local suppliers like IMI.

Unrelated to the pavement problems, only the Boulevard/CR 100S interchange has lighting. In response to a query I made about the lack of lighting on the US 31 bypass, INDOT said this in early 2024:

...a pre-existing project was planned to install lighting at key interchanges along US 31 in Kokomo, including SR 931 South,  CR 100 S, US 35, and SR 931 North. The construction of this lighting will take place some time in the next year or so.

[monty]

Lighting is being slowly installed along the Kokomo US 31 corridor. Key word: slowly

Foundations were set some time ago, followed by the pole assemblies that have been on the ground for a good while. Some of the lighting towers have been erected, with street light style lamps at merge points. I don't think any have been lit yet.

[The Ghostbuster]

What is the reason for such a snail's pace for installing lighting?

[Henry]

Lighting is being slowly installed along the Kokomo US 31 corridor. Key word: slowly

Foundations were set some time ago, followed by the pole assemblies that have been on the ground for a good while. Some of the lighting towers have been erected, with street light style lamps at merge points. I don't think any have been lit yet.

I assume the lights will be at all exits along the Kokomo bypass?

[Great Lakes Roads]

Lighting is being slowly installed along the Kokomo US 31 corridor. Key word: slowly

Foundations were set some time ago, followed by the pole assemblies that have been on the ground for a good while. Some of the lighting towers have been erected, with street light style lamps at merge points. I don't think any have been lit yet.

I assume the lights will be at all exits along the Kokomo bypass?

Yes.

[monty]

Time to re- work the Kokomo northbound US 31 lanes. Southbound side is nearly complete. (INDOT)
Beginning on or after Wednesday, October 8, US. 31 northbound will close between the State Road 931 interchanges on the north and south sides of Kokomo. Work on the project is expected to be complete by the middle of November. Southbound U.S. 31 will reopen in advance of this northbound closure. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.

During the closure, drivers should use the official detour of S.R. 931.

Learn more: bit.ly/4gCe4eV

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.wrtv.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/local-business-voices-safety-concerns-as-indot-plans-u-s-31-improvements

Jordan Yaney, a spokesperson for INDOT, said the decision came down to cost and safety.

"It's about $10 million for an overpass, and it's about $50 million for a full interchange," Yaney said. *"So it's just not feasible to put a full interchange at every single intersection on 31 in that stretch."

"We want to have the least amount of disruption, but our number one priority is always going to be safety," Yaney said.

"This is just a corridor where we're seeing too many crashes for the current configuration, so we had to do something."

The intersection at 256th Street (right where Wilson Farm Market is at) will close for good sometime next year (right after they open the overpass on 266th Street).

[ysuindy]

Time to re- work the Kokomo northbound US 31 lanes. Southbound side is nearly complete. (INDOT)
Beginning on or after Wednesday, October 8, US. 31 northbound will close between the State Road 931 interchanges on the north and south sides of Kokomo. Work on the project is expected to be complete by the middle of November. Southbound U.S. 31 will reopen in advance of this northbound closure. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.

During the closure, drivers should use the official detour of S.R. 931.

Learn more: bit.ly/4gCe4eV

Well that answers my question from earlier.

Going to last few Notre Dame home games just had some time added to my trip. Saturday mornings on 931 will be miserable.

[Great Lakes Roads]

"Level Up 31" project to begin construction on or after October 6th. Phase 1 of the project involves three ramp closures.

1. Closure of the southbound U.S. 31 ramp to 106th Street through late-December
2. Closure of eastbound 106th Street at U.S. 31 through late-December
3. Closure on the eastbound I-465 ramp to southbound Meridian Street through mid-December

Website: https://levelup31.com/

[RoadMaster09]

How much would it cost for a complete upgrade to an Interstate-standard freeway from Indianapolis to South Bend, considering what has already been done?

[The Ghostbuster]

Whatever it costs, it should be pursued (minus the Interstate designation). I think US 31 should be completely freeway from Indianapolis, Indiana to Holland, Michigan (The Zeeland-to-Nunica segment can remain part of M-231).

[silverback1065]

probably not going to happen, I think INDOT will do occasional overpasses and J-turns with interchanges at the state roads.

[I-55]

probably not going to happen, I think INDOT will do occasional overpasses and J-turns with interchanges at the state roads.

My theory for the next few decades is this:

The PEL studies will ultimately lead INDOT towards what you described, creating free flow routes on 30/31 with interchanges at state routes. Based off what I've seen and heard, US 31 will be a freeway from I-465 to the north end of SR 931. There is also the 8 mile stretch in Marshall Co near Argos that INDOT plans to upgrade to a freeway.

Once this happens, I think the routes will slowly morph into freeways (US 30 from Plymouth to I-69 and US 31 from I-465 to SR 931 / US 24 and from CR 700 N to US 20). For US 30, I think that in order to make 30 free flowing INDOT will need to make freeway level improvements through Columbia City and Warsaw, as well as interchanges at SR 5 and SR 13. The need to provide access elsewhere doesn't exist, and freeway upgrades are already proposed from I-69 to Whitley Co.

For US 31, I see that there will initially be 3 pieces of freeway (Plymouth-SB, S Marshall Co, I-465 to Kokomo). I think the Marshall Co segments will eventually be joined to create one continuous route from CR 700 N to US 20 (35 miles), and then there will be the Indy-Kokomo Segment (46 miles). The remaining segment in between is 45 miles and is really a coin flip for what INDOT is going to choose there. Personally, I don't think the state needs to provide as much access to the local roads as they probably intend to, and theoretically could upgrade 4-6 intersections to interchanges, but most likely this will stay as is with some more J-turns. I do think that upgrading to freeway from Kokomo to US 24 is likely to happen with the higher traffic and presence of the air base.