By BRENNA DONNELLY
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
A $4 million construction project on seven Indianapolis bridges will begin Sunday along Interstate 65, displacing 190,000 vehicles daily.
Indiana Department of Transportation representatives have publicized the closures for months and urged drivers to find a detour route to avoid lengthy delays.
The project will last 35 days, and INDOT spokesperson Lamar Holliday said he is confident the contracted crews can finish by the Aug. 5 deadline. The closures stem from a need for bridge rehabilitation, Holliday said.
“They’re too old. They have reached their useful life and once the pavement has reached its useful life you start to get concerned with safety,” he said.
On Monday, crews discovered a hole in an I-65 overpass in Clinton County due to weakened and aged concrete.
“We get in and do what we have to do to make sure like incidents like the one in Clinton County don’t happen,” Holliday said. “So, that’s why we’re going in downtown and the northwest side of Indianapolis to make sure your bridges are in tip top shape for motorists.”
There are two closures beginning along I-65 Sunday:
- The I-65/I-465 interchange on the northwest side.
- I-65 between West 21st Street and Meridian Street downtown.
For southbound downtown motorists, INDOT crews and signs will direct all traffic off I-65 southbound onto the 21st Street exit. From there, WISH-TV traffic team member Nina Criscuolo recommended taking Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, Capitol Avenue or Meridian Street south to the intersection of Delaware Street and 11th Street, where you can re-enter I-65 South.
For those headed northbound away from downtown, traffic will be directed off I-65 northbound onto the Meridian Street exit. Criscuolo recommended using Meridian Street or Illinois Street to travel north to 21st Street, where you can re-enter I-65 North at 21st and Senate Boulevard.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street/West Street exit and on-ramps will be completely closed during the construction.
For travelers headed south on I-65 toward downtown from Zionsville, Whitestown or other Boone County communities, INDOT crews will direct traffic off I-65 just before the I-465 overpass. Holliday recommended drivers leave I-65 further north and take I-865 East to I-465 South. You can also take the exit onto I-465 South before the I-65/465 overpass closure. Those drivers would then take the 38th Street exit or I-70 exit into the city.
Throughout the closure, INDOT crews will watch traffic cameras to see which detour roads clog up quickly. Holliday said they can then make adjustments, such as changing traffic-light timing and detour signs, to ease the pressure on the detour roads.
INDOT also recommended drivers test out their detour paths Friday or Saturday while I-65 is still open. He said that will help you familiarize yourself with your new route and keep vehicles clear of crews beginning their preparation.
“Crews will actually start prepping tomorrow night, so tomorrow night you will see an increased presence on I-65 as crews are mobilizing equipment,” Holliday said. “They will start closing down ramps exactly at 12:01 a.m. Sunday morning.”
For more information, visit the I-65 Bridge Rehabilitation Project Page from INDOT.