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As construction is set to enter its second week on the Interstate 65 bridge rehabilitation project in downtown Indianapolis and on the city’s northwest side, the Indiana Department of Transportation is offering suggestions to motorists on navigating the downtown I-65 closure. These tips were developed by INDOT’s traffic management team, which has been working in partnership with the Indianapolis Department of Public Works and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to adjust traffic signal timings to ease congestion and help traffic to flow as smoothly as possible on local streets during the first week of the closure.
Suggestions for navigating the downtown I-65 closure
- Motorists in the vicinity of West Street who want to travel to eastbound Interstate 70 should go south to New York Street and travel east to northbound Pine Street past Michigan Street to I-70. An alternate route to eastbound I-70 is to travel on West Street south to I-70.
- Eastbound traffic on 21st Street is encouraged to use southbound Capitol Avenue into downtown to avoid delays on 21st Street.
- Afternoon commuters who wish to access northbound I-65 are encouraged to use Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street to access I-65 at exit 117, north of 30th Street. An alternate route to northbound I-65 is to travel north on Illinois Street and west on 30th Street to I-65.
- During the afternoon commute, delays should be expected in the following areas:
- 10th Street between West Street and the I-65/I-70 North Split
- 11th Street and Delaware Street
- 21st Street between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Meridian Street
What to expect in week two
Contractors continue to work at an accelerated pace to ensure that all construction activities are completed in time to reopen I-65 on or before Aug. 5.
Motorists should anticipate higher traffic volumes during the second week of the closure as people who may have been on vacation during the week of Independence Day return to work. Downtown commuters should continue to leave early and allow extra time. INDOT also recommends motorists to continue to identify at least one, if not two, alternate routes.
Reminder: Official detour routes
Official detours for interstate and state highway closures must be on state-maintained roads only.
The official detour routes for the closure are as follows:
Northwest side closure
- Traffic intending to use southbound I-65 to access downtown should use I-865 east to I-465 south and return to I-65 south at exit 20.
- Through traffic on southbound I-65 should follow I-465 to return to southbound I-65 on the south side of Indianapolis at exit 53.
Downtown closure
- Northbound I-65 traffic should follow I-70 east through downtown to I-465 north and follow I-465 to return to I-65 north at exit 20.
- Through traffic on northbound I-65 should follow I-465 to return to northbound I-65 on the northwest side of Indianapolis at exit 20.