FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE PROJECT
I-69 Finish Line, also known as I-69 Section 6, is the sixth and final section of the Interstate 69 connection between Evansville and Indianapolis. It will begin in Martinsville and end at I-465 in Indianapolis.
I-69 Finish Line includes more than 26 miles of new interstate highway, more than 35 lane miles of new access roads, 39 new bridges and 35 existing bridges rehabilitated or replaced. In addition, crews will construct 14 overpasses and underpasses.
I-69 will connect to I-465 at a new high-speed interchange west of the SR 37/Harding Street exit. New lanes will be added to I-465 on the southwest side of Indianapolis to improve safety and accommodate current and future traffic needs. The project will make improvements and add capacity to I-465 from approximately I-70 on the west side of Indianapolis to I-65.
CONSTRUCTION
The total estimated cost to complete the project including environmental considerations, construction, land purchases, utility relocation and other components is more than $1.5 billion. I-69 Finish Line is being built using a combination of state and federal funds. Governor Holcomb’s Next Level Connections program fully funded the project and accelerated construction.
Work began in Martinsville in 2019 and mainline construction is expected to begin in early 2020. With the accelerated schedule, I-69 is expected to be open to traffic in late 2024, three years earlier than expected.
For planning purposes, I-69 Finish Line has been divided into five construction contracts. Construction started in Martinsville in 2019 and is moving north. Significant construction activity is expected throughout the corridor 2021-2024.
- Contract 1: Local Access Roads in Martinsville
Letting: December 2018
Construction: 2019, 2020
- Contract 2: I-69 from SR 39 to Morgan St.
Expected Letting: November 2019
Construction: 2020, 2021, 2022
Interchanges: SR 39, Ohio St. and SR 44/SR 252
- Contract 3: Local Access Roads in Morgan County
Expected Letting: January 2020
Construction: 2020, 2021
Interchange: Henderson Ford Rd.
- Contract 4: I-69 from Morgan St. to Fairview Rd.
Expected Letting: Fall 2020
Construction: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Interchanges: SR 144, County Line Rd. and Smith Valley Rd.
- Contract 5: I-69 from Fairview Rd. to and including I-465
Expecting Letting: Fall 2020
Construction: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Interchanges: Southport Rd., Epler Ave. and I-465
TRAFFIC
The average time it takes to travel from Martinsville to Indianapolis is expected to be reduced by 11 minutes when I-69 is complete.
- The new I-69 will be four through lanes, two in each direction, south of Smith Valley Road.
- The highway will be widened to six travel lanes, three in each direction, from Smith Valley Road to Southport Road.
- When completed, there will be eight lanes, four in each direction, on I-69 from Southport Road to I-465 and on the southwest leg of I-465 between I-70 and I-65.
The speed limit will be 70 miles per hour in rural areas and lower in urban and suburban areas when I-69 is complete.
I-69 Finish Line will improve safety by removing 14 traffic lights and many at-grade intersections. The improvements are expected to result in 1,300 fewer regional crashes each year.
When completed, traffic will access the new highway using entrance and exit ramps at SR 39, Ohio Street, SR 252/44, Henderson Ford Road/Centennial Road, SR 144, Smith Valley Road, County Line Road, Southport Road and Epler Avenue. More than 35 new lane miles of local roads will help provide access to neighboring homes and businesses.
Local traffic may cross the new I-69 at the interchanges listed above. In addition, bridges will allow local traffic to cross over or under the new interstate at South Street/Grand Valley Boulevard, Teeters Road, Myra Lane, Old SR 37/Egbert Road, Perry Road, Waverly Road, Wicker Road, Southport Road, Banta Road and Edgewood Avenue.
Designs will work to accommodate bicycle and pedestrian traffic at bridges where local traffic crosses over or under the new interstate.
The project team is engaging local agencies, emergency responders and schools in traffic planning to maintain access and reduce delays during construction. Emergency responders and school transportation providers will be notified of traffic changes in advance.
To reduce construction time and improve safety, nearly five miles of SR 37 is scheduled to close through Martinsville for the 2021 construction season.
Prior to the closure of SR 37, INDOT is making a number of improvements to the roads and intersections that will be the designated detour. The detour route follows SR 39, SR 67 and SR 144. Improvements include repaving, intersection modifications and temporary signals.
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ENVIRONMENT
In addition to roadway improvements, the I-69 Finish Line project includes the construction or preservation of over 30 acres of wetlands, 350 acres of trees, and over 14,000 linear feet of stream improvements. Chain link fencing will direct wildlife to a safe crossing underneath the interstate at Little Indian Creek in Martinsville.