INDIANAPOLIS – Work on southbound I-465 is progressing on schedule—and it will be northbound 465’s turn very soon.
The Indiana Department of Transportation said tremendous weather has allowed crews to accomplish quite a bit since the southeast 465 corridor closure began on May 31.
Pavement restoration, bridge deck patching and joint repair work is over halfway done, according to Kyleigh Cramer, INDOT’s public relations director.
“We were only allotted 21 days and we are getting done in those 21 days. The weather has been absolutely perfect, so we’ve been out here 24-7. We’ve had crews out here on Sunday,” Cramer said.
INDOT plans to reopen the busy interstate corridor on June 21. It’s been closed between I-70 and I-65 on the city’s east and southeast sides.
“We have been working under the clock, making sure that we’re getting done in those 21 days,” Cramer said.
“I think a lot of people do not realize how much pothole repair, how much joint repairs are needed on this length of the road,” Cramer said of the 465 southeast corridor. “It’s absolutely needed, especially when you drive the whole corridor. All the barrels, all the cones that you see—it is work that’s absolutely needed to be done.”
Cramer said INDOT received numerous requests to fix that portion of 465.
“We’ve gotten a lot of calls about this. We wanted to make sure we weren’t closing down on random days. We’re just doing it all in one closure, so it’s a little bit more of a convenience for our folks, compared to the inconvenience of an overnight closure.”
Safety played a key role in opting for a 21-day closure instead of numerous, localized repairs. Closing the interstate allows crews to work uninterrupted without worrying about oncoming traffic. On the flipside, drivers don’t have to deal with construction zones.
“The main reason that we’re doing this closure like this, and not just some random overnight closures or day closures, is all about safety,” Cramer said. “Not only for the folks who are working this job, but also for the motoring public. It’s the safest route that we’ve found.”
INDOT acknowledged the short-term pain of the closure. In the end, the agency believes it’ll be worth it.
“I think when [drivers] get back out here after [the work is done] and drive through this area, they’re going to notice all the work that needed to be done and see how smooth of a ride it is,” Cramer said.
“Of course there is some frustration, as [any driver] would be by closing down some routes, but we are really appreciative of their patience with us.”
INDOT plans to reopen 465 southbound on June 21 to mark the end of that phase of the closure, but attention will soon turn to 465 northbound.
Next month, drivers can expect another 21-day closure from I-70 to I-65 on the northbound side. Cramer said that stretch of the interstate will close on July 12. It will mirror the southbound project, with crews focusing on pavement restoration, bridge deck patching and joint repairs.
INDOT will provide more details about the northbound closure and the suggested detour at a later time.