5 big interstate projects coming to Indianapolis in the next few years
Kayla DwyerIt's a task to keep track of just how many highway projects are planned or in progress around Indianapolis.
Recently, the Indiana Department of Transportation introduced a new project on the northwest corner of I-465, though construction is likely at least four years away.
Here's a rundown of current and future projects, and their statuses.
I-69 Finish Line
What: Converting 26 miles of existing State Road 37 from Martinsville to Indianapolis into interstate by eliminating traffic signals, building dozens of bridges and local access roads, and widening the southwest portion of I-465.
Why: This is the sixth and final connection of I-69 between Evansville and Indianapolis, which has been in the works for more than 50 years.
Cost: This portion of the project is slated to cost $1.4 billion, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization's 2050 regional plan. The overall project, a spokesperson told IndyStar earlier this year, is coming in at around $4 billion.
Status: Construction is about a quarter of the way there, according to the project website. It began in 2019 with local roads in Martinsville. Five miles of State Road 37 near Martinsville have been closed the majority of this year to make headway on interstate construction. Four of 14 traffic lights have been removed so far. In Marion County, the bulk of the interstate construction is scheduled for 2022, and improvements to I-465 are pegged for 2023 and 2024.
INDOT expects the project to finish in late 2024.
Read more: A timeline of I-69 work from Evansville to Indianapolis
North Split
What: The I-65/I-70 interchange on the northeast side of downtown Indianapolis is getting completely rebuilt, and about 50 bridges on its three legs are being rehabilitated or rebuilt.
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Why: To reduce the footprint of the interchange — which was originally built to accommodate four legs, one of which was never built — and improve traffic conditions made dangerous by several areas where cars must weave across one another to stay on certain interstates.
Cost: $350 million.
Status: A dirt path now sits where the I-65 portion of the interchange used to be. Pillars that will eventually hold a new bridge going over I-70 are being constructed. About 50 bridges are gradually being demolished and rebuilt, with the first bridge nearing completion over St. Clair Street.
VIDEO: The interstate is gone: Get a look at North Split construction progress
The Michigan Street exit ramp, which extends from that bridge, is the first major opening of the project, scheduled for Oct. 5.
Next summer, the Ohio Street exit ramp is expected to open. Crews are still expecting to open the new North Split to traffic by November 2022, but will continue finishing touches and aesthetic work into 2023.
I-465 southeast 'Transportation System Management Operations'
When: Starting March 2022
What: A project to install traffic signals on entrance ramps and electronic speed limit signs along the highway that change speeds based on traffic and weather conditions. The project spans from the I-65 interchange on the south side to the I-70 interchange on the east side, which includes five entrance ramps: Washington Street, Brookville Road, Shadeland Avenue, Southeastern Avenue and Emerson Avenue.
Why: To control congestion and safety issues on the southeast corner of I-465. The traffic signals, known as ramp meters, will manage the amount of traffic entering the freeway at once, to reduce backups. The virtual speed limit signs will be installed about every half mile on I-465, and will increase or decrease speed limits by 5 to 10 mph based on conditions.
Cost: $11.3 million
Status: Construction is expected to begin in March 2022 and will not require daytime lane closures. There will be some temporary overnight closures of short spans of I-465's inside lane and the entrance ramps.
INDOT is still taking public comment on these plans through Monday, Sept. 27. Those can be sent to Dan Miller at Daniel.J.Miller@parsons.com or 317-616-4663.
Clear Path
What: The project will add lanes to the northeast portion of I-465 and rebuild its interchange with I-69. The project includes about a 4.5-mile span on I-465, about a mile on Binford Boulevard and about 1.5 miles north on I-69. There are 26 bridges within these limits — four will be rehabilitated and widened, and 12 will be rebuilt.
Why: INDOT wants to alleviate heavy congestion and fix areas where cars must weave across traffic to change roads.
Cost: An estimated $425 million, according to the MPO. Estimates are more difficult for projects that haven't begun yet, an INDOT spokesperson said.
Status: The exact schedule hasn't been decided, but construction is slated for 2022 to 2025. INDOT project documents indicate a tentative start of spring 2022, and say construction will be phased so that as many I-465 lanes can stay open as possible. But the East 71st Street multi-use trail will close for up to one year during construction.
I-465 Northwest Improvements
What: An 8-mile stretch of the northwest portion of Interstate 465 from 86th Street to North Meridian Street, or US-31, will get improvements, though it's unknown yet what kind. INDOT and consultants Parsons and HNTB Corporation only introduced a study of this corridor last week.
Why: Consultants say congestion issues will go from bad to worse in the next two decades if nothing is done, nearly half of the 36 bridges are nearing the end of their lives, and in several areas, the designs of the interchanges are not user-friendly and contribute to high crash rates.
Cost: There is no official cost estimate yet, but the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization's 2050 regional plan allocates about $317 million.
Status: The team is looking for public feedback by Oct. 8 on what kind of improvements this corridor needs and the impacts construction would have on the surrounding communities. Comments can be sent to Alex Lee, public involvement lead with Parsons, at alexander.lee@parsons.com.
In the fall, the team will begin an assessment of environmental concerns and come up with several work alternatives. In 2022 and into 2023, the team will begin preliminary designs and draft the environmental impact statement.
There is no set timeline yet for final design and construction, but construction will not begin until the Clear Path and I-69 Finish Line projects are complete.
Contact IndyStar transportation reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on Twitter @kayla_dwyer17.