INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana's Dept. of Transportation is wrapping up its I-69 Finish Line project and as that work nears completion, crews are working on some of the finishing touches.
Starting Friday night, two right lanes will be closed on westbound I-465 from State Road 67 to I-65. Crews will also close entrance ramps at State Road 37 and U.S. 31.
"Our crews are going out there to do overhead signage, paving, paving marks and some bridge demolition," INDOT Public Relations Director Kyleigh Cramer said. "So a lot of things going on under this closure I would say."
Construction work along I-465 is nothing new for drivers on the south side of Indianapolis, though.
"This has been my way of travel for five years, so I’ve dealt with it for years," Indianapolis driver Doug Colliver said. "If you got to use that route, then you got to use the route. But you can always go around on I-70 to I-65."
Those lane and ramp closures will last until Monday morning, INDOT said. In the meantime, local drivers are bracing for traffic.
"If they stay on there, you’re going to be bumper to bumper for a long time," described motorist Chad Wendt. "So either hop down to Southport or jump down to Epler. I cut over to Epler and just avoid this whole section in here We’re in Greenwood a lot, so coming back I’ll jump down on U.S. 31 a lot and cut across and get on over to Epler here."
As traffic builds up over the weekend, local drivers said they just want everyone on the road to stay patient behind the wheel this weekend.
"We have so many people that are not patient," Colliver said. "And [they] cut people off and cause accidents. It is what it is. We got to have construction. We got to have good roads. So my thing is just be patient."
After INDOT crews finish this work over the weekend, crews will shut down one lane along I-465 westbound from U.S. 31 to I-65. That work will last from Monday to Sunday, June 16.