INDOT
Begins Project Development to Reconstruct I-65/I-70 North Split in Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of
Transportation announced today that it is preparing to reconstruct the
I-65/I-70 North Split interchange in downtown Indianapolis.
The North Split interchange was built 50 years ago and
is nearing the end of its useful life. The interchange is one of the busiest in
Indiana, accommodating approximately 170,000 vehicles per day. Reconstruction
is needed to ensure public safety, decrease congestion and improve overall
operations and efficiency for motorists.
“The I-65/I-70 North Split is the busiest interchange
in Indiana,” INDOT Commissioner Joe McGuinness said. “Built 50 years ago, the
infrastructure is inadequate for today’s traffic needs. Our goal is to develop
a project that replaces aging infrastructure, improves traffic flow and safety,
and better meets the needs of motorists and neighborhoods in the corridor.”
The project will
include:
- Reconstruction, rehabilitation or widening of 32 existing bridges and
the addition of new bridges.
- Reconfiguring the I-65 entrance and exit ramps along 11th and 12th
Streets to reduce congestion.
- Reconstructing the existing roadway to
accommodate added through-lane capacity on I-65 and I-70 in the future.
INDOT’s project team
recently began work on the Environmental Assessment, as required by the
National Environmental Policy Act. INDOT is launching a comprehensive public
outreach plan to educate the public on the project and to seek input. In the
coming months, INDOT will work closely with City of Indianapolis officials,
public safety agencies, downtown employers and nearby neighborhood groups to
gain input on potential design and maintaining traffic flow and safety during
construction.
Public meetings will be
held beginning in early 2018, with preliminary design to follow later in the year.
INDOT will select a contractor team to design and build the project in 2019.
Construction could begin as early as late 2019.
More information about
the I-65/I-70 North Split project is online at www.in.gov/indot/3663.htm.
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