After more than 15 years of complicated, stalled and costly construction, the I-69 corridor between Evansville and Indianapolis is nearly complete. The interchange connecting I-69 to I-465 in Indianapolis is set to open next month.
The “I-69 Finish Line,” an effort to finish I-69 in Indiana by connecting Martinsville to I-465 in Indianapolis, adds interchanges between I-69 and I-465 and an additional lane to I-465 on the southwest side of Indianapolis.
Construction of the I-69 connection between Evansville and Indianapolis began in the summer of 2008 and has been split into six sections, with this being the final section.
What will the I-69 and I-465 interchange look like?
The interchange opening in August will create two non-stop flyover ramps connecting I-69 to I-465 just west of the existing Ind. 37 and Harding Street interchange. Ind. 37, north of Ind. 144, will officially become I-69 upon opening the interchange, and the new road will divert west from Ind. 37’s current path north of Edgewood Avenue.
According to the “I-69 Finish Line” website, the project also includes lengthening the Harding Street on and off ramps to provide more room for accelerating and decelerating.
When will the I-69 and I-465 interchange open?
The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) said the interchange is set to open in August, but did not specify an exact date.
Are there closures or delays coming because of the I-69 and I-465 interchange?
Yes. The westbound lanes of I-465 between I-65 and I-70 will be reduced to one lane through Friday, July 26, and there will be nightly, 20-minute stops for bridge beam delivery and placement. Delays are expected and motorists are encouraged to find alternate routes.
Starting on Friday, July 26, at 9 p.m., the eastbound lanes of I-465 from I-70 to I-65 will be reduced to one lane through Monday, July 29, at 4 a.m. Five entrance ramps will also be closed during this time:
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SR 37/Harding Street entrance ramp to I-465 eastbound
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SR 67/Kentucky Avenue entrance ramp to I-465 eastbound
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I-70 eastbound ramp to I-465 southbound
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Mann Road entrance ramp to I-465 eastbound
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US 31/East Street northbound entrance ramp to I-465 eastbound
Also beginning on July 26 at 9 p.m, the westbound I-465 exit ramp at Mann Road (Exit 7) will be closed for up to 60 days. I-69 traffic updates can be found online at i69finishline.com/traffic-updates/.
Why has I-69’s construction taken so long?
Construction of the Evansville to Indianapolis corridor of I-69 has been in talks since the 1970s, and first broke ground in Evansville in the summer of 2008. The project has been completed in six separate sections across southern Indiana through competing bids for private-public partnerships. Section 5 of the project, from Bloomington to Martinsville, was delayed for years, after financial difficulties and controversies about subcontractors not being paid resulted in the state wresting control and completing the section on their own.
Is the I-69 and I-465 interchange the final step of I-69?
Not quite. While the I-69 route itself will be complete, work to add a lane on I-465 southwest of Indianapolis will continue into late 2024, an INDOT spokesperson said.
Follow Brian Rosenzweig at brian@heraldt.com.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Interstate 69 near complete with Interstate 465 interchange in August
