INDIANAPOLIS – The City and the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) are working closely to prepare for the upcoming 59-day closure of I-65/I-70 between the north and south split scheduled to begin at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3. INDOT is coordinating the project, but the City is making preparations to accommodate displaced traffic and does expect some delays on city streets in the downtown area. The Department of Public Works (DPW) is working with INDOT to temporarily restrict some on-street parking, detour the Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene & Marilyn Glick, monitor and adjust signal times and limit on-street work to optimize traffic flow. “The City has been working with INDOT as the plans for the South Split Closure have developed and understand the importance and public safety impact on getting the project fixed as soon as possible,” Director of Public Works, Lori Miser said. “We anticipate some increased traffic on city streets in the downtown area and encourage residents to be patient and give themselves multiple commute options.”
The City will assist in temporarily restricting on-street parking on Illinois, Delaware, Pennsylvania, College and New York streets in the downtown area to free up additional vehicular travel lanes. These restrictions will vary between parking time restrictions to prohibiting parking completely. The City will also monitor street repairs and try to limit permits to emergency issues only to minimize downtown thoroughfare delays.
Sections of New York Street will be temporarily restriped where parking is restricted to allow for an additional lane of traffic. Alternating lane restrictions should be expected on New York Street between Delaware and Pine streets beginning Monday, Aug. 26. The daytime restrictions are expected to end each day by approximately 3 p.m. and the restriping will be complete before the Sept. 3 interstate closure.
The Pine Street entrance ramp to eastbound I-70 and one interstate lane adjacent to the ramp will have overnight restrictions beginning Wednesday, Aug. 21 as contractors work to temporarily widen the ramp to accommodate two lanes. This work will be complete before the Sept. 3 interstate closure.
At the south split, the right lane of southbound I-65 and the left ramp lane from eastbound I-70 to southbound I-65 will have overnight restrictions beginning Wed. Aug. 21 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. The lane restrictions will repeat each night as contractors work to construct a temporary ramp configuration ahead of the Sept. 3 interstate closure.
On Monday, Sept. 2 (Labor Day) after 8 a.m., contractors will restrict various traffic lanes on city streets for short periods of time in order to modify signs, directing motorists to interstate ramps remaining open during the interstate closure. Interstate lane restrictions should also be expected near the north and south splits on Monday, Sept. 2 as contractors prepare to close the interstate after midnight.
Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene & Marilyn Glick will be temporarily re-routed across Virginia Street at the I-65 overpass. The trail will remain open during construction, but pedestrian traffic will be directed to the north side of the street while beams are replaced on the bridges. Contractors estimate this to last about a week in early October; directional signs will be placed.
Traffic signals will be monitored and adjusted to accommodate the additional traffic based on similar projects, like Hyperfix. Please be patient as the City and INDOT will have to make minor adjustments in the first weeks of the closure as traffic patterns change. Residents are encouraged to plan multiple alternate route options and to test those routes out beforehand.
The City and INDOT will continue working together to optimize traffic flow and maintain access to downtown businesses, neighborhoods and cultural districts during this interstate closure.
Motorists, residents and businesses are encouraged to visit www.SouthSplit.in.gov to learn details of the project and sign up for project email updates using the red GovDelivery envelope icon. Updates will also be provided on the Indiana Department of Transportation East Central Facebook page and on Twitter @INDOT_ECentral and #SouthSplit.
↧