I was just wondering if anyone knows why INDOT hasn't just finished up the new lanes on 465 north of the Sam Jones Expressway to 10th street? I was on 465 going home from the airport a couple weeks ago and thought about this. Isn't construction basically done between these two areas with the exception of painting the new 4th lane?

Good question, was wondering that myself a couple of weeks ago. I believe I was told a month ago or so that each side was being worked on by a different construction group and that one group had finished before the other, but I think at this point both sides should be done. It might just be the weather delaying the painting of that fourth lane, with snow in recent weeks and more tomorrow.

Quote from: tdindy88 on January 10, 2011, 04:57:24 PM
Good question, was wondering that myself a couple of weeks ago. I believe I was told a month ago or so that each side was being worked on by a different construction group and that one group had finished before the other, but I think at this point both sides should be done. It might just be the weather delaying the painting of that fourth lane, with snow in recent weeks and more tomorrow.

I assume INDOT is doing the same with this project as they did with the Borman widening. On the Borman, the left lane from Broadway west to Calumet Avenue was not opened until the section from Calumet Avenue west into Illinois was done. Similarly on I-465, the area around Crawfordsville Road and I-74 is far from being done so they are probably waiting to open the whole thing at once. At least that is my theory.

I was driving today on the North side and noticed that INDOT has installed a travel time sign (although it's not functioning) between Meridian Street and Keystone Ave. Does anyone know when they are going to finish it or if anymore are supposed to go up?

Quote from: wh15395 on January 21, 2011, 07:29:41 PM
I was driving today on the North side and noticed that INDOT has installed a travel time sign (although it's not functioning) between Meridian Street and Keystone Ave. Does anyone know when they are going to finish it or if anymore are supposed to go up?

I saw something in the middle of the median there a few days ago, I was wondering if that was what it was. As for them being installed, INDOT is going to put up a lot more of these around the Indy Metro Area over the next few years, they will be on all the major interstates around the city as well as US 31 (Carmel) and I-69 (Southwest) when both are constructed.

When we drove along Interstate 465 in November 2009, construction was underway between Exits 11 (Sam Jones Expwy) and 16A (U.S. 136) as part of the Accelerate 465 project Preliminary work was underway at Exit 11. Exits 12, 13 and 14 were vastly unmarked or might have been closed at the time.

What is the status of some of these projects?
I-74/465 western junction: http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/accelerate465/design/i74.html (which I noticed coincides with a request to AASHTO to truncate a short section of U.S. 136 east of the beltway.)
I-465 at 10th Street: http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/accelerate465/design/popup6.html
I-465 at U.S. 36: http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/accelerate465/design/popup7.html
I-465 at U.S. 40: http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/accelerate465/design/popup8.html
I-465 at Sam Jones Expwy: http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/accelerate465/design/airportexp.html
I-465 at I-70: http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/accelerate465/design/i70.html
I-465 at Indiana 67: http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/accelerate465/design/popup11.html

Edited URL's, did not realize that some of the links went to "dismissed alternatives".

I went through there a week or so ago so this is what I remember. The biggest problem area is from just north of I-74 south past US 136 and Eagle Creek. A lot of progress is visible at the interchanges, and that long, shoulderless, bumpy old section of overpass there is gone, but what will become the left lanes still needs to be rebuilt. There are still ramp closures at I-74 and US 136 there. My guess is that there are still months of work ahead in this section.

The other major problem area is around the Sam Jones Expressway down to I-70. Both the Sam Jones interchange and the I-465 main line roadway are still under construction, but there is clear progress. The I-70 interchange appears to be mostly complete. Washington Street itself under I-465 is also under construction still.


The fourth lane will not open until it is all done. Then there is the Keystone interchange rebuild which is approaching completion and soon the Allisonville Road Interchange rebuild will begin.

That SR 67 interchange picture you had there isn't the one that they are going to use. In fact, they aren't building it at all that I know of, more saving money I believe. The lanes going to and from SR 67 to the north I believe will either become the mainline or will feed into the I-70 interchange.

Quote from: tdindy88 on October 27, 2011, 11:42:06 AM
That SR 67 interchange picture you had there isn't the one that they are going to use. In fact, they aren't building it at all that I know of, more saving money I believe. The lanes going to and from SR 67 to the north I believe will either become the mainline or will feed into the I-70 interchange.

I see that the site included alternatives not selected. The INDOT web site has two renderings, with the selected SR 67 interchange schematic only indicating upgrades to the mainline:
http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/accelerate465/design/sr65.html

So I take it that they are going with the toned-down version of the I-70 interchange upgrade as well? Yes they are:
http://www.in.gov/indot/div/projects/accelerate465/design/i70.html

The fourth lane will be striped and opened when the I-74 interchange/Crawfordsville Rd US 136 work is done. Still a bridge to build there. Plus, some work still at Sam Jones. No sense in opening the fourth lane, only to squeeze it back to three a few miles later. That would be a recipie for backups and crashes. Things flow better (if that can be said about 465) when you keep a constant three lanes through the area.

On the northeast side, the Allisonville Rd interchange project is about to begin:

Allisonville/I-465 bridge closing shortened (Iny Star)

Basically, the contract states it must be done in 110 days beginning March 1, 2012. It is similar to Super 70 - in this case, Allisonville Rd. will be closed although some ramps will remain open.

I will be traveling through on Thursday and likely will do I-465 north from the Sam Jones Expressway to I-74. How much of this is still under construction? When we drove through in 2009, several of the exits were unsigned. Hopefully I can get some coverage of the exits for US 40, US 36, etc. this go around.

From Sam Jones north to past 10th Street is essentially complete, they just need to strip the lanes into a 4-lane configuration on each side (with another lane between the exits), right now there is still three lanes on each side. This won't be completed until the rest of the highway is completed. I believe there is a little work around US 40 but that isn't on 465 itself. The area around the 465/Crawfordsville Road interchange is still getting some work and I know for the past few months the ramp from 465 north to 74 west has been closed, requiring motorists to drive up to 38th Street and loop around to head south on 465 to get to 74, so your trip may require that. Temporarly I-74 has one stoplight on it for westbound travelers at that exit. But the ramp work there at the 74 interchange ought to be wrapping up soon, especially with the Super Bowl coming. As for the signage, all new signage is up along the highway around that whole stretch and even at the 74 interchange, even thoguh there may be a closed sign in front of it. The Accelerate 465 website should have the official information on the timing of the closings.

Quote from: tdindy88 on November 02, 2011, 01:44:22 PM
From Sam Jones north to past 10th Street is essentially complete, they just need to strip the lanes into a 4-lane configuration on each side (with another lane between the exits), right now there is still three lanes on each side. This won't be completed until the rest of the highway is completed. I believe there is a little work around US 40 but that isn't on 465 itself. The area around the 465/Crawfordsville Road interchange is still getting some work and I know for the past few months the ramp from 465 north to 74 west has been closed, requiring motorists to drive up to 38th Street and loop around to head south on 465 to get to 74, so your trip may require that. Temporarly I-74 has one stoplight on it for westbound travelers at that exit. But the ramp work there at the 74 interchange ought to be wrapping up soon, especially with the Super Bowl coming. As for the signage, all new signage is up along the highway around that whole stretch and even at the 74 interchange, even thoguh there may be a closed sign in front of it. The Accelerate 465 website should have the official information on the timing of the closings.

Thanks for the heads up, indeed we plan on taking I-465 north to I-74 west, so if we have to do the detour you mentioned, that will be ok as I can get perspectives of that junction from I-465 southbound. I saw on the Accelerate 465 web site that the I-74 stub east to US 136 is being removed. How is the progress on that going?

We took that stub back in November 2009, so I have photos of it to post in a future update.

I need to check out the site again, but if I recall something from the news a week or so ago, the current Crawfordsville Road ramp from 465 will be torn out next Spring and the new connection made before then.

Work was vastly done (appeared touch up work was all that remained) from north of the Sam Jones Expressway to Exit 14. Speed limits remain at 45 through there and police were out shooting radar and very active when we drove through.

Once north of 10th Street, construction increases leading into the I-74/US 136 interchange complex and through to a point just south of Exit 17 (38th Street).







Indeed to get to Interstate 74, one must take Exit 17, turn left at a traffic light and loop back south onto Interstate 465 to make the connection. All traffic to Interstate 74 west and U.S. 136 (Crawfordsville Road) will depart in unison once all is said and done.

The new ramp from I-74 to I-465 North reminds me of various interchanges in California. It is a great interchange, but I feel like it's kind of wasted on I-74. A flyover interchange like this is needed far more at the I-465 interchanges with I-69 and I-65 on the South Side.

Quote from: wh15395 on November 12, 2011, 10:38:58 AM
The new ramp from I-74 to I-465 North reminds me of various interchanges in California. It is a great interchange, but I feel like it's kind of wasted on I-74. A flyover interchange like this is needed far more at the I-465 interchanges with I-69 and I-65 on the South Side.

Agreed, too bad the I-69/465 interchange project has been put on the back burner for now, in favor of rebuilding Exit 5 of I-69. At least a flyover is still being planned on the southside interchange, which is very much needed, but it won't be built until the Exit 5 project is finished.

Quote from: wh15395 on January 21, 2011, 07:29:41 PM
I was driving today on the North side and noticed that INDOT has installed a travel time sign (although it's not functioning) between Meridian Street and Keystone Ave. Does anyone know when they are going to finish it or if anymore are supposed to go up?

This is a bit off topic.  But a couple years ago, INDOT built express (reversible?) lanes between Meridian and Allisonville ending at I-69.  Then after about a couple of months, they took all the signs down, and redesigned it to just be wider on both sides.  What happened to that?  I just remember being on US-31 Meridian going east and the on ramp was dangerous as you merged right into where it began and people were cutting across.  It was a dangerous interchange.

ETA: I found the answer.  Thanks.
http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=12037124

Any project like this, where you are maintaining not only traffic on the road being built, but are maintaining the original number of lanes, takes longer than it would if you closed the entire stretch and did it all at once. The number of bridges which had to be removed from I 465 while then building the new, longer and wider replacement, meant a lot of shuffling to one side or the other while work went on. Add to that the total rebuild of the US 136 interchange and the I 74 interchange to provide a free flowing design, while crossing a creek, meant doing little bits at a time. The old road had cloverleafs at each of the interchanges, which always bogged down at rush and at other times of the day as well. So far, even in the in progess status, the highway now flows more smoothly than before.

With completion of the inside lanes, interchange ramps and the center barrier at the Sam Jones Expressway, I-465 is striped for and open for four lanes each way, from I-70 to just north of the 10th St interchange, where the ongoing reconstruction of the US 136/Crawfordsville Rd and I 74 interchanges continue. This project is on the last lap, so to speak. Work continues on the US 40/W Washington St interchange, and should be completed in the week, all confined to W Washington St pavement and ramps.

I experienced some of this mess first-hand, on my lone visit to Indianapolis in my life (this was from August 21-24, 2010). I was at a hotel on Rockville Road, very close to the bridge spanning I-74/I-465. The bridge looked like it was just finished as I walked over it for a Bob Evans restaurant and a Speedway station:


I like how the sign says TO US 36 East...considering you're going ONTO it with I-74 E/I-465 S!


A lonely little mile marker, all by itself. Clearly, the construction under the bridge was not done. Should I-74 get priority in this case, or is I-465 more important in this area?  


This was the entry sign on the east side or the reconstructed bridge, closer to the hotel I was at.


I found it odd that I saw COLUMBUS, OH as this sign's control city. I was on an Indy-GO shuttle back towards the airport (IND). Considering we were on the west side of Indy...wouldn't you have to go through downtown Indy first, then see this sign?  

A couple of points regarding your questions with the pictures: First, with the milemarker, yes I-465 is the more important highway to those in Indy, everyone even refers to the multiplex between 465 and 74 as just 465, even if 74 is multiplexed. Second, yes it is odd that Columbus is mentioned, I believe that sign you showed was either at Holt Rd. or Harding St, but since you are well within the city by that point it is signed anyway, this is done in other cities. Of course, that Columbus sign is button copy and has been there for a while, if a new sign were to replace it it won't read Columbus and may not have a control city on it at all. There is also the fact that St. Louis isn't mentioned on any sign on the Eastside along 70, Chicago for 65 on the Southside, or Louisville on 65 on the northside, so the fact that Columbus is mentioned in the first place is still a bit odd in terms of consistancy.

I also noticed that "COLUMBUS, OH" sign on my way towards downtown Indianapolis that morning, taking the Indy-GO shuttle in. Thankfully, the first stop was outside of Lucas Oil Stadium. I walked from there to where the RCA Dome was. Then it was on to Conseco Fieldhouse, followed by lunch near the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Afterwards, it was on towards the state capitol grounds and then a AAA-level baseball game at Victory Field on a beautiful Sunday afternoon (the Indians beat the Louisville Bats). The only place I didn't see on that trip was the Speedway, not knowing which public transportation was available to that area. I assume I would've been on I-74/I-465 in the other direction? 

465 has always had priority and continuity in exit numbering and mileposting, similar to how I-83 hops on and off of 695 in Baltimore, but of course this is a much longer overlap, even carrying through the zero-point of 465. 

As far as the Columbus sign, it is sensible inside 465 for I-70 EB to start showing the control city to the east, as 70 approaches the I-65 overlap/mixing bowl area and having the control cities makes it easier to follow your intended route as you approach.  You see Louisville, Columbus, and Chicago (the latter two on the same sign for the duplex) as you approach the southern split from the west, and then Chicago and Columbus separately at the north split when the routes split.  Signing I-70 for Columbus gives people an additional anchor for navigating the successive splits, especially if you are unfamiliar with the area.  ("Okay, I want 70 eastbound, keep following the signs for Columbus.")

Of course, Columbus has been disappearing over the last decade in favor of Dayton.  Old signs often said "Columbus OH" to avoid confusion with Columbus, Indiana which is south of Indy on 65.  One sign on I-65 SB coming into Indy for I-70 EB says "Columbus O." in the old idiom, in button copy to boot.  Long may it live.

One other interesting thing about the pics is that the signs there were apparently among the last to be installed with lighting in the area, although all the lighted signs in town appear to no longer have the lights turned on.  The most recent overhead installs in that area don't have the lighting fixtures at all, as seen upthread with the Exit 16 signs with tape-overs still hiding stuff yet to be opened.