INDOT to close I-65/I-70 in Indianapolis for 90 days - increase bridge clearance

[bmeiser]

My wife was driving back from the Twin Cities (using I-39 south to I-74 east) and said she ran into thick traffic Monday late afternoon/early evening on the co-signed segment of 74 and 465.

I'm not surprised.  The official detour (http://www.in.gov/indot/files/South_Split_I-65-I-70_Detour_Map.pdf) has both southbound I-65 traffic and eastbound I-70 traffic taking the south/eastbound leg of 456 on the SW side (the route your wife took during rush-hour).  So for roughly 9 miles (and mostly only 3 lanes), I-65, I-70, and I-74 traffic are all joining I-465's traffic.

I drove from Keystone Ave on the north side around the east side to 65 south today around the same time of day and the traffic from 70 to 65 was noticeably heavier and truck-ier.  Traffic slowed to about 45mph around 70 where all of the westbound traffic was exiting south but it eventually picked up again to regular speeds.  Even more noticeable was the sheer volume of traffic exiting from 65 north to 465 east on the south side (I'm not sure they have the "official" detours posted).  Eastbound 465 immediately after 65 north spilled on was VERY heavy, with speeds picking back up later.

On my way back to the north side, I drove city streets and was amused at what I saw at the intersection of South St. and Delaware:


Apparently some truck drivers didn't read the warnings (there are plenty of them) that the highway was closed downtown.  Most downtown streets were not designed for large trucks so I'm sure they had a fun time trying to get around (especially with construction on north Delaware St).

[trafficsignal]

I saw a similar situation yesterday, with a truck that unfortunately chose south meridian as the route to get back to 70 - luckily he stopped before the union station overpass (12'9" clearance).

[hbelkins]

(the route your wife took during rush-hour).

I wouldn't have expected heavy rush hour traffic on Labor Day.

I remember driving into DC one year on MLK Day and observing how relatively light the traffic was.

[mgk920]

My wife was driving back from the Twin Cities (using I-39 south to I-74 east) and said she ran into thick traffic Monday late afternoon/early evening on the co-signed segment of 74 and 465.

I'm not surprised.  The official detour (http://www.in.gov/indot/files/South_Split_I-65-I-70_Detour_Map.pdf) has both southbound I-65 traffic and eastbound I-70 traffic taking the south/eastbound leg of 456 on the SW side (the route your wife took during rush-hour).  So for roughly 9 miles (and mostly only 3 lanes), I-65, I-70, and I-74 traffic are all joining I-465's traffic.

I drove from Keystone Ave on the north side around the east side to 65 south today around the same time of day and the traffic from 70 to 65 was noticeably heavier and truck-ier.  Traffic slowed to about 45mph around 70 where all of the westbound traffic was exiting south but it eventually picked up again to regular speeds.  Even more noticeable was the sheer volume of traffic exiting from 65 north to 465 east on the south side (I'm not sure they have the "official" detours posted).  Eastbound 465 immediately after 65 north spilled on was VERY heavy, with speeds picking back up later.

On my way back to the north side, I drove city streets and was amused at what I saw at the intersection of South St. and Delaware:


Apparently some truck drivers didn't read the warnings (there are plenty of them) that the highway was closed downtown.  Most downtown streets were not designed for large trucks so I'm sure they had a fun time trying to get around (especially with construction on north Delaware St).

Hmmmm, did you get a close-up image of that sign?



Mike

[thefro]

My wife was driving back from the Twin Cities (using I-39 south to I-74 east) and said she ran into thick traffic Monday late afternoon/early evening on the co-signed segment of 74 and 465.

I'm not surprised.  The official detour (http://www.in.gov/indot/files/South_Split_I-65-I-70_Detour_Map.pdf) has both southbound I-65 traffic and eastbound I-70 traffic taking the south/eastbound leg of 456 on the SW side (the route your wife took during rush-hour).  So for roughly 9 miles (and mostly only 3 lanes), I-65, I-70, and I-74 traffic are all joining I-465's traffic.

That's really about the only way they could do it and avoid the NE side... if they routed the traffic that way it'd be total gridlock around I-69 there.

[tdindy88]

Apparently some truck drivers didn't read the warnings (there are plenty of them) that the highway was closed downtown.  Most downtown streets were not designed for large trucks so I'm sure they had a fun time trying to get around (especially with construction on north Delaware St).

Isn't this how we GOT in this situation in the first place, by not reading signs? I'd hate for us to have to close Meridian, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Capitol just so we lower the roadway under those bridges too.

[bmeiser]

I wouldn't have expected heavy rush hour traffic on Labor Day.

I remember driving into DC one year on MLK Day and observing how relatively light the traffic was.

Ah, sorry I didn't realize she went through on Labor Day.  You're right, normally traffic would be fairly light on Labor Day.  Either way, I didn't mean to make it sound like your wife shouldn't have been driving through at that particular time  .

Hmmmm, did you get a close-up image of that sign?



Mike

I did not but all of the VMSes in the area either say "I-65 / I-70 closed downtown. Use I-465." or, within the detours "I-65 (or I-70) detour. Follow 465 to exit xx".  There were also additional portable VMSes mentioning the closure in addition to orange "Closed" signs plastered over BGSes leading into town on said interstates.  Of course, I was looking for these things.  Plus...

Isn't this how we GOT in this situation in the first place, by not reading signs? I'd hate for us to have to close Meridian, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Capitol just so we lower the roadway under those bridges too.

  You're right.  I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.

Here's a news story from Fox 59 regarding the truckers disregarding signs (again) with a cool picture of one of the button copy signs in camera flash: http://fox59.com/2013/09/06/indots-message-to-truckers-follow-the-signs/#axzz2dxeROppA

[ysuindy]

Downtown Indy traffic is all mucked up for the Friday evening rush hour.  With the 65/70 closures, downtown workers heading to the South side all need to use West, Capitol or Pennsylvania to access 65 and 70 south of downtown.

The powers that be decided that a Colts Kickoff Concert with the Gin Blossoms on Georgia Street would be a great event tonight.  And to accomplish that they have closed Capitol southbound at Washington, forcing all traffic West on one way Washington.  Looking out my office windown at a mile long back up of four lanes of traffic merging down to two to be able to make the turn and Washington Street blocked as far to the East as I can see.

guess I should have taken the afternoon off.

[seicer]

Events and conventions are booked years in advance.

[ysuindy]

Concert stage didn't need to be in the middle of one of the main streets (Capitol Ave) for getting around the closure for downtown traffic and workers.  Plenty of other places to put it that would have disrupted less traffic.   

[seicer]

It's still planned years in advance. It's not their fault that INDOT did not plan this project years in advance and give notice to the city for their streets.

[bmeiser]

Here's an update on the project's progress complete with a photo of the dirt road that is now I-65/I-70 and a time-lapse video of pavement removal.

http://www.wthr.com/story/23381297/2013/09/09/south-split-pavement-removal-completed?Clienttype=generic&mobilecgbypass

[theline]

^^ Thanks for sharing. The videos are great. I especially enjoyed the compilation of all the collisions with the bridge, which has the link "resulting video." (The links in the WTHR article are not really obvious, since they are not underlined and the font color is hardly different.)

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

On my way back to the north side, I drove city streets and was amused at what I saw at the intersection of South St. and Delaware:


Apparently some truck drivers didn't read the warnings (there are plenty of them) that the highway was closed downtown.  Most downtown streets were not designed for large trucks so I'm sure they had a fun time trying to get around (especially with construction on north Delaware St).

Guess who's truck you don't see in that clusterF?  Yup, that's right, mine.  Thanks largely to this forum, of course... oh, and the fact that I actually, y'know, read the signs, instead of going "herp derp derp derp derp derp derp derp derp derp derp derp derp derp derp derp derp derp derp derp derp OH SHIT THE ROAD IS CLOSED!??!?!?!?!?!?"

And I don't use a GPS.

In any event, I'm about to go pick up in Plainfield and go joust about with the traffic on the southern segment of I-465...

[bmeiser]

This is opening right now!
http://www.indystar.com/article/20131016/NEWS/310160075/

[Brandon]

Drove past the signage for the detours on the way to and from the Cincy meet.

Here's a few photos of them.

[tdindy88]

Speaking of signage, I drove through the new South Split last night and saw a few of the button copy signs on that stretch were redone. All of the button copy north of Washington Street, however, remains. One sign they redid was for I-70 East and they included "Columbus OH" as the control city, despite the recent substitution for Dayton that was done on signs for I-70 East on the southern part of Downtown. Heading south to the South Split, I-70 West now picks up a control point of Indpls Int'l Airport along with St. Louis.

One more interesting thing to note involves the lane configurations for northbound 65/eastbound 70. Prior to the construction, the right two lanes of I-65 continued north with the right lane becoming an exit-only lane for Washington Street (former Market Street ramp.) That has been redone so that both lanes now continue north toward I-70 with an additional lane added near the Washington Street ramp for traffic exiting off there.

[silverback1065]

Speaking of signage, I drove through the new South Split last night and saw a few of the button copy signs on that stretch were redone. All of the button copy north of Washington Street, however, remains. One sign they redid was for I-70 East and they included "Columbus OH" as the control city, despite the recent substitution for Dayton that was done on signs for I-70 East on the southern part of Downtown. Heading south to the South Split, I-70 West now picks up a control point of Indpls Int'l Airport along with St. Louis.

One more interesting thing to note involves the lane configurations for northbound 65/eastbound 70. Prior to the construction, the right two lanes of I-65 continued north with the right lane becoming an exit-only lane for Washington Street (former Market Street ramp.) That has been redone so that both lanes now continue north toward I-70 with an additional lane added near the Washington Street ramp for traffic exiting off there.

great idea indot (not being sarcastic)