Indiana Notes

[tdindy88]

So if you don't drive an 18-wheeler and you are driving north of Indianapolis you HAVE to get off an an interchange and navigate the traffic to some gas station or restaurant just to use the bathroom. Probably all in the hopes that you decide to buy something there anyway and spur the local economy. And all so INDOT has one less thing to maintain. They could add all these extra truck parking spots and still build a simple modern rest area facility along with them like they did at the Kankakee Welcome Center, they just don't want to. Because that would one more thing they would actually have to maintain. They don't care about the motoring public traveling across the Crossroads of America, they just want one less thing they have to spend money on.

[Life in Paradise]

So if you don't drive an 18-wheeler and you are driving north of Indianapolis you HAVE to get off an an interchange and navigate the traffic to some gas station or restaurant just to use the bathroom. Probably all in the hopes that you decide to buy something there anyway and spur the local economy. And all so INDOT has one less thing to maintain. They could add all these extra truck parking spots and still build a simple modern rest area facility along with them like they did at the Kankakee Welcome Center, they just don't want to. Because that would one more thing they would actually have to maintain. They don't care about the motoring public traveling across the Crossroads of America, they just want one less thing they have to spend money on.

I feel the same way and have shared my opinions with some of those mailers our reps and state senators send out requesting opinions (for all the good that really does). To the thoughts of rest areas only serving those passing through, I utilize them going from one place or another while I'm in state.  One other though, except for 24/7 truck stops, a lot of C-stores have rolled back their hours after Covid, so they are no longer 24/7, but may be closed 10p to 5a, so there are fewer options out there.

So INDOT can continue closing things that are useful, cutting roads from the system (and likewise dropping sections between two recognized roads without signage), and spending crazy amounts of money for pouring concrete for displaced left turns in Evansville that almost no one wants rather than correcting the problem that they made in the first place ($170 million on the project).

[Rothman]

In NY, truck stops actually complained about the rest areas on the Interstates, if I recall correctly, and lobbied themselves as a solution to the shortage of truck parking.

Not sure how many new truck stops have been built in NY since then...maybe the one in Fonda?

[Interstate 69 Fan]

The I-465 closure on the southeast side is completely stupid. I drove the entire route in the opposite direction, and only saw ONE area being worked on - just past Emerson Avenue just before I-65. Complete waste of INDOT's time. Most of the lanes are fine, just do some nighttime lane closures and you'll be fine.

[silverback1065]

The I-465 closure on the southeast side is completely stupid. I drove the entire route in the opposite direction, and only saw ONE area being worked on - just past Emerson Avenue just before I-65. Complete waste of INDOT's time. Most of the lanes are fine, just do some nighttime lane closures and you'll be fine.

it's a yearly tradition!    in all seriousness I expect a ton of workers out starting Monday. it just started and its rained a lot. it's already making the downtown interstates permanently backed up.

[cjw2001]

The I-465 closure on the southeast side is completely stupid. I drove the entire route in the opposite direction, and only saw ONE area being worked on - just past Emerson Avenue just before I-65. Complete waste of INDOT's time. Most of the lanes are fine, just do some nighttime lane closures and you'll be fine.

it's a yearly tradition!    in all seriousness I expect a ton of workers out starting Monday. it just started and its rained a lot. it's already making the downtown interstates permanently backed up.

They've already been working on the north end of this today with some large concrete sections completely removed at the 42.7 mile marker.

[tdindy88]

That makes sense since that stretch of I-465 wasn't done when they last closed the southeastern portion of the highway back in 2019. I'm still wondering to see exactly what needs to be done on the I-65 to I-70 stretch of highway that wasn't done five years ago.

[jhuntin1]

That makes sense since that stretch of I-465 wasn't done when they last closed the southeastern portion of the highway back in 2019. I'm still wondering to see exactly what needs to be done on the I-65 to I-70 stretch of highway that wasn't done five years ago.

That stretch was beautiful when it reopened five years ago, but it's already got a number of depressions and other damages. I saw a DOT spokesperson on the morning news last week, and my summary of her comments is that road surfaces have a lifespan and this concrete is nearing the end of it and so they're trying to wring as much life out of it as they can.

I could be wrong, but I believe the oldest surface on I-465 is the section between Washington St. and Emerson Ave. Why INDOT is putting expensive band-aids on it (ramp metering is stupid and will do nothing to fix congestion) rather than finding the money to rebuild and expand it to 8 lanes like the rest of the highway is a mystery I have not been able to solve.

[silverback1065]

That makes sense since that stretch of I-465 wasn't done when they last closed the southeastern portion of the highway back in 2019. I'm still wondering to see exactly what needs to be done on the I-65 to I-70 stretch of highway that wasn't done five years ago.

That stretch was beautiful when it reopened five years ago, but it's already got a number of depressions and other damages. I saw a DOT spokesperson on the morning news last week, and my summary of her comments is that road surfaces have a lifespan and this concrete is nearing the end of it and so they're trying to wring as much life out of it as they can.

I could be wrong, but I believe the oldest surface on I-465 is the section between Washington St. and Emerson Ave. Why INDOT is putting expensive band-aids on it (ramp metering is stupid and will do nothing to fix congestion) rather than finding the money to rebuild and expand it to 8 lanes like the rest of the highway is a mystery I have not been able to solve.

My guess is they're out of money. They're widening 465 from 70 to 65 already, doing the 69 interchange on the NE side, and widening it from 86th to 31 on the NW side. I think they just don't have the money to fix that area any time soon.

[tdindy88]

That makes sense since that stretch of I-465 wasn't done when they last closed the southeastern portion of the highway back in 2019. I'm still wondering to see exactly what needs to be done on the I-65 to I-70 stretch of highway that wasn't done five years ago.

That stretch was beautiful when it reopened five years ago, but it's already got a number of depressions and other damages. I saw a DOT spokesperson on the morning news last week, and my summary of her comments is that road surfaces have a lifespan and this concrete is nearing the end of it and so they're trying to wring as much life out of it as they can.

I could be wrong, but I believe the oldest surface on I-465 is the section between Washington St. and Emerson Ave. Why INDOT is putting expensive band-aids on it (ramp metering is stupid and will do nothing to fix congestion) rather than finding the money to rebuild and expand it to 8 lanes like the rest of the highway is a mystery I have not been able to solve.

I hadn't thought about it but I wonder if the North Split construction had anything to do with the rapidly deteriorating condition of that roadway? Especially since that construction was extended longer than anticipated. That stretch of roadway took in a heavy amount of traffic during the detours. And the I-70 to I-65 stretch on the southwest side is already being rebuilt (more or less.)

I would guess that eventually a rebuild of the southeast corner is going to happen. But it will take a backseat to all the other projects at the moment. I'd look at ten years or so before that could happen. I could see some bridge work done in the meantime, such as Arlington Avenue last year.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.saferdrive65.com/

A future project for a safer drive on I-65 in Clark and Scott counties.

Project details: "Approximately 13 miles of the interstate will be reconstructed or rehabilitated, with a focus on widening to three lanes in each direction as much as possible. Other improvements include the superstructure replacements and widening on 4 bridges and bridge rehabilitations on up to 5 more structures."

Widening will begin just north of Exit 16 (Memphis Road) to "as far as the budget gets us to (fixed price of $203.7 million)"...

Improvements anticipated to be included with the project include:

*Superstructure replacements and bridge widening at crossings of I-65 over Blue Lick Creek and over Caney Fork
*Bridge deck overlays at I-65 over Pigeon Roost Creek
*Minor pier repairs at County Line Road over I-65
*Possible bridge widening at I-65 over Brownstown Road
*One 1,400' long Noise Barrier Wall south of SR 160
*Replacement of an Automatic Traffic Recorder north of SR 160
*Pavement Rehabilitation in areas where travel lanes are not added
*Various culvert repairs within the limits of pavement reconstruction

Construction will (hopefully) begin in Spring/Summer 2025.

[NWI_Irish96]

https://www.saferdrive65.com/

A future project for a safer drive on I-65 in Clark and Scott counties.

Project details: "Approximately 13 miles of the interstate will be reconstructed or rehabilitated, with a focus on widening to three lanes in each direction as much as possible. Other improvements include the superstructure replacements and widening on 4 bridges and bridge rehabilitations on up to 5 more structures."

Widening will begin just north of Exit 16 (Memphis Road) to "as far as the budget gets us to (fixed price of $203.7 million)"...

Improvements anticipated to be included with the project include:

*Superstructure replacements and bridge widening at crossings of I-65 over Blue Lick Creek and over Caney Fork
*Bridge deck overlays at I-65 over Pigeon Roost Creek
*Minor pier repairs at County Line Road over I-65
*Possible bridge widening at I-65 over Brownstown Road
*One 1,400' long Noise Barrier Wall south of SR 160
*Replacement of an Automatic Traffic Recorder north of SR 160
*Pavement Rehabilitation in areas where travel lanes are not added
*Various culvert repairs within the limits of pavement reconstruction

Construction will (hopefully) begin in Spring/Summer 2025.

The section between IN 2 and IN 43 needs this far, far more than the southern end.

[ITB]

INDOT wants $255 million to build and upgrade welcome centers. Joe Gustin, INDOT CFO, also informed the State Budget Committee that, in addition to the upgrades, two new centers on I-69 are planned.

https://fox59.com/news/politics/indot-requests-quarter-of-a-billion-dollars-to-improve-welcome-centers/

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Praise the sun! I-465 on the southeast side reopens tomorrow. Now to only endure the even longer northbound closure...

Still confused what INDOT was thinking closing this highway, lmao.

[silverback1065]

Praise the sun! I-465 on the southeast side reopens tomorrow. Now to only endure the even longer northbound closure...

Still confused what INDOT was thinking closing this highway, lmao.

My guess is phased construction would take longer, make traffic even worse than what we saw and probably more expensive too.

[ibthebigd]

I took Raymond yesterday to I-65 and the pavement looked rough.



SM-G996U

[cjw2001]

Still confused what INDOT was thinking closing this highway, lmao.

Anyone that viewed the traffic cameras along that section during the 3 week closure has a very good idea of what they were thinking.   Pretty hard to do replacement of deep concrete sections while traffic is buzzing through.  There was a substantial amount of work completed while it was closed.

[silverback1065]

I-69 is officially signed along 465! Well...in one place, NB right after the Shadeland exit. they have also put up covered up 69 shields on some of the pull through 465 signs around the 70 exit. Also NB 465 exit to 69 is now 37a with 82nd street being 37b.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.wishtv.com/news/local-news/indot-speed-limit-to-increase-on-i-69-near-bloomington/

It's about time!

[sprjus4]

https://www.wishtv.com/news/local-news/indot-speed-limit-to-increase-on-i-69-near-bloomington/

It's about time!

Waiting to hear a similar announcement about I-465... oh wait

[silverback1065]

https://www.wishtv.com/news/local-news/indot-speed-limit-to-increase-on-i-69-near-bloomington/

It's about time!

Waiting to hear a similar announcement about I-465... oh wait

   everyone will still go 70 

[I-55]

Speaking of I-69, drove through the I-469 work zone today, new APL gantries are waiting to be installed on I-69 NB at mile 314. I'm assuming they'll go up once the right exit lane is reopened following the bridge widening over Clinton St and reconstruction near mile 29.

[ITB]

Today, the bids were opened for R-43375-B, the first contract of INDOT's Revive I-70 project. The apparent low bid received was from a Walsh Construction/Crider & Crider JV, which bested a bid by a JV of Milestone Contractors and E&B Paving. Official result won't be released for another week or so, but barring some unforeseen circumstances, it's very likely the contract will be awarded.

The results of the letting can be viewed here, page 12.

This was a re-letting, as the first attempt to let this contract in April was unsuccessful, as both bids were over the engineer's estimate and were rejected. It appears with the re-letting, the INDOT engineer's estimate was raised, while the bids received were about 5-7 percent lower than in April.

For those unfamiliar with the Revive I-70 project, it involves the improving and widening of I-70 to three lanes in each direction from the Ohio state line to just west of Cambridge City, as well as interchange and overpass upgrades. The project has been split up into three contract. The first contract, which was let today, covers work from the state line to .8 miles west US 35.

 

[silverback1065]

I found a website that is discussing future plans to improve I-80/94 from IL 394 to I-65.

https://indianaflexroad.com/

Looks like a lot of interesting things are planned that have not been done in Indiana before including shoulder rolling (the shoulder is sometimes a thru lane)

[NWI_Irish96]

I found a website that is discussing future plans to improve I-80/94 from IL 394 to I-65.

https://indianaflexroad.com/

Looks like a lot of interesting things are planned that have not been done in Indiana before including shoulder rolling (the shoulder is sometimes a thru lane)

They have to do something. The traffic volumes are too much for the existing roadway. Expanding the right of way would make the phrase "not in my back yard" quite literal for me.

Of course building the Iliana would be the best option but that seems to be dead.