Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[ITB]

On Sunday, May 4, 2025, BigRigSteve of BigRigTravels drove the entire length of I-69 between Evansville and Indianapolis. The northbound trip started in Kuttawa, KY, and ended in Pendleton, IN. Although the sky was overcast, and there were frequent episodes of rain and drizzle, the visuals still make for interesting viewing. Make sure to watch in High Definition.

Highlights of the trip in Indiana include:

• 1:33:45  Crossing the Ohio River on the northbound span of the Twin Bridges. This bridge, which opened in 1932, will stay in use after the new I-69 Ohio River bridge opens, while the southbound Twin Bridges span, just to the west, will be decommissioned and torn down. At this time, that's the plan. It could change however.
• 1:38:15  Location where the future new alignment of I-69 turns south toward the approach of the forthcoming, new Ohio River bridge
• 1:57:20  I-64 interchange
• 2:13:40  Patoka River bridges. These 4,400-foot-long bridges were built in 2011 and 2012 by Kokosing Construction for $35.1 million. Today the cost might be upwards of $100 million.
• 2:27:55  White River, East Fork, bridge
• 2:35:50  US 50/US 150 interchange. To the west is the city of Washington; to the east, the small city of Loogootee, and a bit further east, the town of Shoals.
• 2:59:20  US 231 interchange; I-69 goes over US 231. To the south and east of the interchange is Naval Support Activity Crane (NSA Crane), commonly referred to as just "Crane." NSA Crane, which includes Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane and Crane Army Ammunition Activity (CAAA), is the third largest Navy installation in the world, covering 62,000 acres. One quarter of the Department of Defense's ammunition is stored at Crane. To the north of the US 231 interchange, a new Munitions Campus is planned. The first project to kick off will be Prometheus Energetics' new solid rocket motor manufacturing facility, which will employ around 350. This is a big deal for this area of Indiana, and it would never have happened without I-69.
• 3:20:45. Harmony Road bridge, Monroe County. Initially, this high bridge was constructed without fencing, but a few years back there was a jumping incident it seems, and the fences went up soon afterwards.
• 3:25:05  State Road 37 interchange and Bloomington. Go Hoosiers!
• 3:46:00  State Road 39 interchange and Martinsville. Martinsville will be the location of new state truck parking facility; the exact location has not yet been announced.
• 4:01:40  State Road 144 and Bargersville. Hundreds of homes, as well as a large shopping/commercial complex, are in the works for this area. In 10 years time, Bargersville will likely be a major suburb of Indianapolis. It's very possible, too, the SR 144 interchange will have to be reworked to handle the increased traffic.
• 4:04:10  Smith Valley Road interchange, Johnson County. Note that I-69 has expanded to three lanes.
• 4:10:00  Epler Avenue exit and I-465 interchange, Indianapolis

Here's the video in its entirety:

[ilpt4u]

It was actually yesterday 5 May. His date marker is one day off on his recent streams. Sunday he drove Nashville to Covington TN to Kuttawa KY (and did NOT use TN 690/I-69 around Union City...he took US45W, for reasons unknown).

I watched a good portion Sunday Live and it displayed 3 May the whole trip

Long story short Steve has driven a good portion of Future and Current I-69 in TN, KY, and IN the last few days

[ITB]

It was actually yesterday 5 May. His date marker is one day off on his recent streams. Sunday he drove Nashville to Covington TN to Kuttawa KY (and did NOT use TN 690/I-69 around Union City...he took US45W, for reasons unknown).

I watched a good portion Sunday Live and it displayed 3 May the whole trip

Long story short Steve has driven a good portion of Future and Current I-69 in TN, KY, and IN the last few days

No, the video was truly recorded May 4, 2025. Steve no longer does livestream broadcasts when driving. A few months back he received notice from the US DOT to cease with the live camera, even though its mounted and he doesn't touch it while driving. His trip videos are now called "premieres," and are typically uploaded to YouTube the day after each drive. Chat is "live" when a premiere first broadcasts. It's a recorded video, however; the date and time stamp is indeed correct.

Here's the video in which Steve explains what happened. The pertinent part begins around 6:10.

[tdindy88]

Speaking of I-69, I was able to head south to Evansville a week ago and saw that they were basically finished with installing mileage signs along the original sections of I-69, which effectively finishes any remaining signage work needed along I-69.

First picture of a mileage sign south of Exit 98 with US 231, Washington and Evansville as destinations.


Next picture of a mileage sign south of Petersburg with SR 64 and Interstate 64 listed along with Evansville


This picture grabbed my interest. For years both Evansville and Henderson, KY have been listed as southbound control cities here. Now it's just Evansville. I'm guessing it's just INDOT standardizing its usage of Evansville as the sole southbound control city. But part of me thinks it might also be Indiana getting back at Kentucky using just Henderson heading north toward the Ohio River.


And finally, heading east on the Veterans Memorial Parkway in Evansville at the very beginning of I-69 in Indiana for now. Indianapolis is now the control city all the way from here up to I-465.

[ilpt4u]

Does he live stream them 24 hours later? The youtube stream now is "live" but for yesterday, but the clock is exactly 24 hours off

[ITB]

Does he live stream them 24 hours later? The youtube stream now is "live" but for yesterday, but the clock is exactly 24 hours off

Did you watch the video in which Steve explains the new setup? If not, I suggest you do.

[CtrlAltDel]

Does he live stream them 24 hours later? The youtube stream now is "live" but for yesterday, but the clock is exactly 24 hours off

Did you watch the video in which Steve explains the new setup? If not, I suggest you do.

Steve's not exactly a man of few words, but he does eventually say that company policy and FMCSA regulations consider livestreaming from a commercial vehicle in motion to constitute a form of distracted driving, even though he uses a set-it-and-forget-it kind of system.

[vdeane]

Does he live stream them 24 hours later? The youtube stream now is "live" but for yesterday, but the clock is exactly 24 hours off

Did you watch the video in which Steve explains the new setup? If not, I suggest you do.

Steve's not exactly a man of few words, but he does eventually say that company policy and FMCSA regulations consider livestreaming from a commercial vehicle in motion to constitute a form of distracted driving, even though he uses a set-it-and-forget-it kind of system.

Which is stupid.  If you're not interacting with it while driving, how can it POSSIBLY be distracted driving?

[Henry]

This picture grabbed my interest. For years both Evansville and Henderson, KY have been listed as southbound control cities here. Now it's just Evansville. I'm guessing it's just INDOT standardizing its usage of Evansville as the sole southbound control city. But part of me thinks it might also be Indiana getting back at Kentucky using just Henderson heading north toward the Ohio River.

AIUI, this may have something more to do with the ORX bridge still not being built, although the foundations are beginning to come in place. Using a lesser-known location sounds stupid, because I seriously doubt that the KYTC would've put up Covington back when I-75 was first built, as the larger Cincinnati (in ODOT territory) takes precedence in this instance.

[CtrlAltDel]

Does he live stream them 24 hours later? The youtube stream now is "live" but for yesterday, but the clock is exactly 24 hours off

Did you watch the video in which Steve explains the new setup? If not, I suggest you do.

Steve's not exactly a man of few words, but he does eventually say that company policy and FMCSA regulations consider livestreaming from a commercial vehicle in motion to constitute a form of distracted driving, even though he uses a set-it-and-forget-it kind of system.

Which is stupid.  If you're not interacting with it while driving, how can it POSSIBLY be distracted driving?

His assessment was similar.

[TheCleanDemon]

This picture grabbed my interest. For years both Evansville and Henderson, KY have been listed as southbound control cities here. Now it's just Evansville. I'm guessing it's just INDOT standardizing its usage of Evansville as the sole southbound control city. But part of me thinks it might also be Indiana getting back at Kentucky using just Henderson heading north toward the Ohio River.

AIUI, this may have something more to do with the ORX bridge still not being built, although the foundations are beginning to come in place. Using a lesser-known location sounds stupid, because I seriously doubt that the KYTC would've put up Covington back when I-75 was first built, as the larger Cincinnati (in ODOT territory) takes precedence in this instance.

It is likely true that this is the case. 69 doesn't cross the river, so it is plausable they signed Henderson since that is where the interstate ends in Kentucky for now. INDOT has historically not signed smaller places like Henderson as control cities along interestates, so it seems likely removing Henderson in this case is just part of INDOT standarization.

BUT.......I grew up in Western Kentucky pre-Interstate 69 and Evansville wasn't always signed on 41 or the old Pennyrile Parkway either. Henderson/Madisonville/Hopkinsville is just how that corridor was mostly signed for decades. Evansville didn't really appear on any signs until you got to Henderson.

[I-55]

Indiana's control cities can be found in Chapter 502 of the Indiana Design Manual. Worth noting that I-69 has not been updated to include the leg south of Indianapolis, though Evansville is certainly a national control for the I-69 route. Evansville is only a regional control on I-64.

List of National and Regional Control Cities on Page 200 of this document

[Interstate 69 Fan]

More new I-69 signs are up along I-465, just north of the I-74 interchange. I-465 and I-69 north signed for Ft Wayne, primarily near Exit 48.

[mgk920]

More new I-69 signs are up along I-465, just north of the I-74 interchange. I-465 and I-69 north signed for Ft Wayne, primarily near Exit 48.

Are 'I-69/74/465' triplex signs up yet?  Wisconsin will not be alone in that regard then.

Mike

[jhuntin1]

The reassurance shields were all put up several months ago. You can see the triplex the entire way in both directions.