Indiana business routes gone?

[treichard]

Google Maps street view shows a lack of signed US business routes through some of the places I had thought had business routes. The map views of Yahoo and Google show a handful of business routes (like US 24 Bus in Logansport and Wabash).  The DOT map doesn't seem to show any business route designations.

Is Indiana DOT phasing out such routes? Are there any US business routes left in the state?

Is the Bus US 31 designation outdated on the I-80/90 BGS at the South Bend exit?

[DanTheMan414]

I believe all business routes in Indiana are locally-maintained, so INDOT would not have the say in whether they stay or go.  Likewise, they do not recognize business routes on the state map.  This is up to the discretion of the county or city in question.  BUSINESS US 31 is still signed through the South Bend area, and the exit signs along I-80/90 at the IN 933 interchange are correct to identify the business route.  I'm not sure if BUSINESS US 31 is maintained by the City of South Bend or St. Joseph County, but it is one or the other, and not INDOT.

[treichard]

Makes sense. 

Do the local maintenance agencies seek AASHTO approval for US business routes?

In the end, I'm trying to update my web site:
http://cmap.m-plex.com/int/usban/ne/
with a complete list of all the auxiliary routes in Indiana, but web resources aren't helping much.

[rmsandw]

Where did you get info for By-Pass US 45 in Norris City, IL?  I have never heard of that one.  Also, BUSN U.S. 6 in NW Indiana, along Ridge Road.  I have a page on my website on the U.S. 6 Lake County IN page.  Again this is one that is poorly marked, but does have a marked exit on I-65.

[treichard]

Bus US 6 in NW IN:
I couldn't find the page you mentioned from your site (got the link?) but I did see the route signed on I-65 in Google Maps street view.  Street view doesn't show any signs at the supposed east end though (IL 51, right?).  No atlas that I have shows the designation at all.  This is all I have to go on, so it makes me think the business route is gone and the I-65 BGS is just out-of-date.  If you have more evidence that the route is still intact, please do share. 

Bypass US 45 in Norris City, IL:
Check out this pdf map from IL DOT:
http://www.dot.state.il.us/maps/city/Norris%20City.pdf
It's stamped as last revised in 1993.  Has the route disappeared since then?  I do not know if it is or was signed.

[rmsandw]

BUSN U.S. Rt. 6 Lake County, Indiana
http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/bill18/bnus6inlake.html

That map of Norris City is interesting.  I have never been there, but the state highway map does not list it.  When looking at Norris City, the east-west road from U.S. 45 to IL 1 is shown as a local road.  On Rich Carlson's site...
http://www.n9jig.com/busn.html 

It listes that route as being removed in 1997.

[treichard]

I'm convinced of Bus US 6 now. Thanks.
It stops at US 41 rather than reconnecting to US 6 at the west end?

I think you're right about Bypass US 45, too.  Shame on IL DOT for keeping 15-year-old maps as the most current available.

[rmsandw]

The western end is confusing.  West of IN 55 I have not seen any markers.  On a few INDOT maps I have seen it marked east of IN 912/Cline Ave. 

[Terry Shea]

They also removed signage from SR 431/Keystone Ave, which is rather odd because they're currently improving the route with a lot of overpasses w/exit ramps.

[rawmustard]

They also removed signage from SR 431/Keystone Ave, which is rather odd because they're currently improving the route with a lot of overpasses w/exit ramps.

That's because SR 431 was turned back to the city of Carmel, and it is that entity which is improving the road (roundabout interchanges being the most prominent feature of the upgrades).

[ssummers72]

Business US-6 in NW Indiana is as follows:

I-80/94 at US-41(Indianapolis Blvd) South along US-41 to Ridge Rd (Former US-6) East via Ridge Rd thru Highland,Griffith, Gary, Lake Station and Hobart to US-6/IN-51 (Ripley Street). This was approved by AASHO/AASHTO in the early 60's. I have lived in NW Indiana all my life and this has been an interesting route to try and find history on. Somewhere, I have a copy of the actual application from AASHTO showing this change.

Also of note:
US-12 reroute:
In Gary it used to follow the Industrial Hwy(By the Gary/Chicago Airport) from Bridge St NW to IN-912/US-12 Columbus Dr
Now, it multiplexes with US-20 from Bridge St Westerly to IN-912 then, North along IN-912 to Columbus Dr then it proceeds West into East Chicago.

Take Care,
Stephen

[Terry Shea]

They also removed signage from SR 431/Keystone Ave, which is rather odd because they're currently improving the route with a lot of overpasses w/exit ramps.

That's because SR 431 was turned back to the city of Carmel, and it is that entity which is improving the road (roundabout interchanges being the most prominent feature of the upgrades).

Really?  How can a small town like Carmel afford to do that on their own?

[rawmustard]

Really?  How can a small town like Carmel afford to do that on their own?

I'm willing to bet Carmel's residents are wondering the same thing.

[hbelkins]

Is Indiana DOT phasing out such routes? Are there any US business routes left in the state?

Business US 50 still exists in Bedford. Also in whatever town it was where we had lunch at Hardee's the day of the I-69 corridor trip during the Indy meet.

[agentsteel53]

is there still an INDIANA/US/24 cutout on one of the business routes?  I think it's in Lima.  Or Peru.  The name of the town is one of those and I forget which!

[tdindy88]

 I have seen a Business US-24 sign in Peru, though I forgot if it was a cutout or not. However, also in Peru I've seen Business US-31 signs, and on one sign heading north on the current US-31, there is an exit sign leading to the Business US-31 route, that had the same design as an Indiana State Road marker with the word "Business" in the place of where "Indiana" would be on the sign. Another place where business routes are common is South Bend where you can see plenty of Business routes for US 31, 33, and 20.

[agentsteel53]

I'll have to check on that ... I'm always on the hunt for old cutouts!

[rawmustard]

Another place where business routes are common is South Bend where you can see plenty of Business routes for US 31, 33, and 20.

There might be a few straggling Business US-20 assemblies, but for the most part, they've been removed. Business 31 in South Bend is still well-signed, but there never was a Business 33 in the area. (SR 933, OTOH, still occupies US-33's former alignment in St. Joseph County.)

[treichard]

Without going to Indiana, I could find only 7 auxiliary US highways:
http://cmap.m-plex.com/hb/selecthwys.php?sys=usban&reg=usa.in&mt=g&gr=p&sub=Show#r

Are there currently more?

[mobilene]

Here's one of the Business US 31 signs in Peru. This one's just over the steel bridge on the west end of town.  Took this in 2007.



Here's a Business US 20 shield from South Bend, along Lincolnway West.  Took this last summer.



As for Carmel's ability to afford the work on old US 431 -- well, it has cost far more than planned.  But you also have to understand that Carmel's in the wealthiest county in the state and has quite a tax base.

[mobilene]

Oh, and here's a Business US 31 sign from South Bend, along South Michigan St.  Note the strange font used, and how "Business North" are on one sign instead of two.  There are a handful of these in town.  2007 photo.

[tvketchum]

INDOT also paid Carmel $90 million to take it, and those are the funds doing most of the work. However, the whole project will cost more than that, more like $120 to $130 mil by the time it is finished. It will be a far better route when done, with the at grade intersections and signals eliminated along most of the route.

[Terry Shea]

INDOT also paid Carmel $90 million to take it, and those are the funds doing most of the work. However, the whole project will cost more than that, more like $120 to $130 mil by the time it is finished. It will be a far better route when done, with the at grade intersections and signals eliminated along most of the route.

I'm a bit befuddled.  It seems to me that if they were going to remove at grade intersections along Keystone Ave anyway, this would be the perfect location for building the new US-31 (I-67?) freeway instead of a few miles to the west.  Seems like a lot of disruption and redundancy.

[mobilene]

If they made Keystone the new 31, the old 31 would still be a major traffic headache, esp. during rush.  jim

[Terry Shea]

If they made Keystone the new 31, the old 31 would still be a major traffic headache, esp. during rush.  jim

There would still be traffic but it shouldn't be nearly as bad since thru traffic would then be using Keystone.  It would be exclusively local traffic and much of that would be diverted over to keystone too I would think.