INDIANAPOLIS — After years of construction, INDOT says the I-69 Finish Line project is finally reaching the finish line and should be complete by the end of this year.
The brand-new intestate will connect Indianapolis to Evansville.
“We are approaching the finish line. The finish line is in sight,” said Natalie Garrett, the strategic communications director for INDOT.
Construction for the new interstate has been going on since 2010. This latest segment from Martinsville to Indianapolis started in 2019 and costs $2 billion.
“The I-69 corridor has been years in the making, decades of planning, coordination along the entire corridor from Evansville up to Indianapolis,” Garrett said.
Now, crews are entering their final lap with most of the work focused in the Marion County area.
In 2024, work will focus on:
• I-69/I-465 system interchange opening to traffic
• Completion of aesthetics and landscaping in Johnson County
• Completion of Southport Road interchange area
• Completion of mainline I-69 pavement north of Southport Road
• I-465 and Harding Street interchange opening to traffic
• Installation of tree plantings and landscaping along I-69 in Marion County
• All new travel lanes on I-465 between I-70 and I-65
• I-465 westbound added travel lanes between I-70 and I-65
• I-465 westbound bridge over White River
• New roadway lighting installation along I-465
• Installation of noise barriers along I-69 and I-465
• I-69 designation from State Road 144 to I-465
“A lot of progress along the way over the last four years or so, and we are excited to reach the finish line,” Garrett said.
There are several closures this week on I-465 and I-69:
I-465
I-465 lane closures/stoppages:
- Anticipate nightly double-lane closures and intermittent 20-minute traffic stoppages on I-465 WB and EB from I-70 to I-65, starting Monday, Feb. 12 through Monday, Feb. 19 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for barrier wall removal, pavement striping and bridge beam delivery.
Bridge beam setting:
- Anticipate nightly double-lane closures and intermittent 20-minute traffic stoppages on I-465 at the Indiana Railroad bridge on Tuesday, Feb. 13 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for beam setting operations.
- Anticipate nightly double-lane closures and 20-minute traffic stoppages on I-465 at Harding Street on Saturday, Feb. 17 through Monday, Feb. 19 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for beam setting operations. Intermittent, 20-minute traffic stoppages will also occur on Harding Street under I-465 between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. for beam setting.
Pothole repair:
- Pothole repair crews are active and may cause intermittent lane closures or traffic stoppages on asphalt portions of I-465. Emergency repairs will be made during the day. Other repairs will be made at night, with overnight lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
I-69/State Road 37
Temporary lane striping:
- Anticipate daytime lane restrictions on State Road 37 SB between Fairview Road and State Road 144 beginning Monday, Feb. 12 through Wednesday, Feb. 14 for temporary lane striping.
When work is complete, I-69 will run continuously from the Canadian border at Port Huron, Michigan to Evansville, Indiana.
The average travel time from Martinsville to Indianapolis is expected to be reduced by 11 minutes, according to INDOT.
You can find information about the project here.