INDIANAPOLIS – Barrier wall work downtown, west side restrictions and continuing work on the I-465 and I-69 projects all lead to a busy week for the Indiana Department of Transportation.
Here’s a look at several projects drivers should know about.
I-65 barrier wall repairs
At 9 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 25, through 7 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26, crews will close the inside lanes of I-65 northbound and southbound between W. 16th Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street through downtown Indianapolis.
Contractors will perform repairs on the barrier wall during the overnight hours. INDOT moved the date back a week after initially indicating the work would start this week.
West side traffic shift and closure
INDOT will shift traffic on I-465 southbound toward the median wall over U.S. 136 and Eagle Creek around 9 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 17.
Around 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 18, crews will close the I-74 eastbound ramp to I-465 southbound. They’ll also close the right two lanes of I-465 southbound.
INDOT expects the restrictions to remain in place until 6 a.m. on Aug. 21. Crews will work to complete a thin deck overlay.
Smith Valley Road interchange
INDOT will mark a major step in the I-69 Finish Line project when the new Smith Valley Road interchange partially opens on Tuesday afternoon.
This will include the Smith Valley Road bridge over State Road 37, the southbound SR 37 entrance and exit ramps and the Smith Valley Road/Mullinix Road roundabout to the east of SR 37.
The northbound SR 37 entrance and exit ramps will not open until later this year.
I-465 work continues
The Mann Road exit ramp to eastbound I-465 is closed for up to two months as crews work to build retaining walls and make improvements on Thompson Road for new I-465 travel lanes.
INDOT recommends that drivers use Kentucky Avenue to eastbound I-465 for the duration of the project.
Travelers can expect nightly single-lane closures on I-465 eastbound and westbound from Kentucky Avenue to U.S. 31 as crews install signage, lighting and draining structures throughout the construction zone.
I-69 project updates
Crews will be working along the shoulders of I-69/SR 37 in northern Morgan and Johnson counties as they continue the installation of fencing, cable barrier and conduit.
Drivers should watch for paving work this week near the SR 144 roundabout at Huggin Hollow Road and Old SR 37.
INDOT said there have been “some incidents” surrounding the single-lane closure on I-69 northbound south of SR 144. The department attributed the issues to excessive speed and urged drivers to pay close attention and slow down.
The timeline for all projects is dependent weather and could shift depending on other factors, INDOT said.
