BARTHOLOMEW & JACKSON COUNTIES — Drivers traveling along I-65 toward the Columbus and Seymour areas will find new traffic patterns starting at the beginning of December.
The Indiana Department of Transportation plans to open newly paved concrete lanes along I-65 as part of the state’s ongoing $143 million Columbus-to-Seymour 65 Next Level project. INDOT officials anticipate eliminating use of the southbound median crossover located north of State Road 58/Walesboro Exit starting Friday, Dec. 7. Weather permitting, southbound traffic will remain on the west side (southbound side) of I-65.
This new winter traffic configuration on I-65 will remain in effect throughout the winter:
- The asphalt section between S.R. 46 ramps at Columbus and mile marker 64.5 near the Walesboro exit will remain in normal configuration—two 12-foot lanes southbound and northbound with 4-foot inside shoulders and 8-foot outside shoulders.
- MM 64.5 to 61.2 at Smalls Creek bridge—two 11-foot lanes southbound and northbound with 2-foot shoulders.
- MM 61.2 to 56.0 just north of S.R. 11—two 11-foot lanes southbound and northbound with 4-foot inside shoulders and 8-foot outside shoulders.
- MM 56.0 to 53.3 at White River bridge—two 11-foot lanes southbound and northbound with 2-foot shoulders.
- MM 53.5 to 50.0 at U.S. 50/Seymour—two 11-foot lanes southbound and northbound with 4-foot inside shoulders and 8-foot outside shoulders.
Prior to traffic normalization, concrete barrier wall sections will then be relocated.
Orange barrels will restrict traffic from third-lane travel while various work continues throughout most of the I-65 construction zone this winter. This includes sub-grade work for an added lane on the northbound side and bridge work at White River and the L & I Railroad underpass.
The 3-year I-65 project calls for full-depth construction of a six-lane concrete roadway between U.S. 50 and S.R. 58—with pavement repairs and asphalt resurfacing of the existing four-lane section between S.R. 58 and S.R. 46. Operations will also include significant bridge work at 27 different structure sites along the 17-mile route.
