INDOT, City, Indianapolis Downtown Inc. promote tourism, connectivity

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Transportation, the City of Indianapolis and Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. are working together to better connect motorists on interstate highways with major tourist destinations such as the Airport and downtown Indianapolis. New or updated signage will assist with large traffic volumes attending major events at Lucas Oil Stadium, Conseco Fieldhouse, the Indiana Convention Center and other venues downtown.

“Indianapolis has a thriving downtown district with a booming convention business, local shops, museums, restaurants and much more. This signage is an excellent way to showcase the many venues that make the Circle City a great place to work, live and visit and as we look for new ways to market our downtown,” said Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. “I’m optimistic that this project will have a positive impact on our local businesses.”

Starting this week, INDOT and Indianapolis Department of Public Works sign crews will install new or updated signage along I-70 and Madison Avenue south of downtown pointing towards Meridian Street. Preparations for the 2012 Super Bowl identified the Meridian Street thoroughfare as the preferred gateway to downtown Indianapolis. After exiting I-70 at the intersection of Madison Avenue and McCarty Street, motorists have a clear view of the Indianapolis skyline. Heading north onto Meridian Street drivers pass the many shops, restaurants and hotels in the Wholesale District en route to Monument Circle at the heart of downtown Indianapolis.

“With INDOT review and planning for the Super Bowl in 2012, signage became a concern as we will have a larger number of out-of-town visitors,” said INDOT Chief of Staff Robert L. Zier. “Although we hope that the Colts are in the game that day, we anticipate travelers coming to Indianapolis who may not be familiar with the city and its layout.”

Nearby businesses are asked to join this effort by updating directions that may be included on their Web sites or printed materials. The sign changes have also been reported to GPS and Web mapping providers NAVTEQ, TeleAtlas and Google Maps.

“These new interstate signs will make traveling to Downtown easier,” said Tamara Zahn, Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. president. “Drivers exiting onto Meridian Street will have convenient access to Downtown’s businesses and attractions.”

In the future, additional signage is planned along I-65, I-70 and I-465 to help direct motorists to Indianapolis International Airport. The modern, new Colonel H. Weir Cook Terminal opened in October 2008 at a new location along I-70 just west of I-465 at Exit 68.

Indianapolis–IndyGo bus service will be impacted significantly on Saturday, November 7, due to the Monumental Marathon and Half Marathon. Approved street closures and other access restrictions on the event day will result in extremely limited and significantly delayed bus service in parts of the greater downtown area.

The marathon course starts and finishes near the Indiana State Capitol Building in downtown Indianapolis on Washington Street. The race begins at 8:00 am; runners will travel as far north as Broadripple and as far south as McCarty Street near the Lucas Oil Stadium. They’ll go east to 10th & Bellefontaine, near Massachusetts Avenue, and west to White River Parkway near the Naval Armory. This event attracted nearly 3500 registrants last year.

To help communicate the lack of available bus service on the day of the race, IndyGo will begin playing a recorded message on-board for passengers this week. The recording cautions riders that the Monumental Marathon and Half Marathon will impact nearly every one of IndyGo’s 29 routes. There will be massive detours affecting all routes. Downtown bus staging will take place at Indiana and Capitol avenues. IndyGo expects that all routes will be able to arrive at this location.

Since a list of specific coach stops cannot be developed due to the status of the confirmation process for road closure and access, passengers will need to read route detour signs at transit stops on the day of the race. Detour information will be available on IndyGo signs if IndyGo personnel is permitted by IMPD to access these stops.

Please visit the IndyGo website at www.IndyGo.net or call the IndyGo Customer Service Center at 317-635-3344 for details on this and other detours and delays. Customer Service Center representatives also provide trip-planning assistance to IndyGo riders.

To learn more about IndyGo and for trip planning assistance, please visit www.IndyGo.net or call IndyGo Customer Service Center at 635-3344. IndyGo bus passes can be purchased online at http://store.indygo.net. They are also available at the IndyGo Customer Service Center (Indianapolis City Market, 222 E. Market St.: 317-635-3344) and at the DNR Customer Service Center (Indiana Government Center South, 402 W. Washington Street, Room W160: 877-463-6367).

Half Marathon http://monumentalmarathon.com/images/IMM_HALF_TIME.pdf

There will be obvious closures Saturday morning.

The proposed detour route for northbound traffic will be northeast on Massachusetts to 21^st St., east to Sherman, north to 25^th St. and west to Keystone.  Southbound traffic will go east on 25^th St. to Sherman, south to 21^st St. then west to Massachusetts and southwest to Rural St.  

For other traffic updates, please visit: www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPW/Road/Closings/Pages/home.aspx.

If you would like to receive weekly traffic e-mail updates, visit: www.indy.gov/Newsletters/pages/home.aspx.

For information about other Indianapolis Department of Public Works services, please visit the DPW Web site at: www.indygov.org/dpw.

For information on Indiana Department of Transportation projects, state roads and highway information, please contact INDOT at 232-5533.

Traffic from Post Road to Washington Square Mall splitting

INDIANAPOLIS – After this evening’s rush hour, Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) contractors are shifting one lane of westbound traffic on U.S. 40/East Washington Street to the north side of the road. This is the first of progressive lane openings in coming days as paving crews complete the widening and reconstruction between Post Road and Washington Square Mall. Where crews are working, traffic continues to be restricted to one lane in each direction with left turn lanes available. Motorists can expect to see crews working in the median.

The 2.3 mile project between I-465 and Washington Square Mall is part of a $20.8 million Major Moves project that INDOT and Milestone Contractors started in 2008. East Washington Street is being rebuilt in phases to include three through lanes in each direction with new sidewalks and storm sewers. INDOT hopes to improve safety along U.S. 40 by modernizing signs and signals, installing new turn lanes and extending existing turn lanes.

Work is anticipated to wrap up on this project in early December. To the east, work continues on U.S. 40 from Washington Square Mall through Cumberland and is expected to last until Spring of 2011.

Gov. Mitch Daniels’ Major Moves program capitalizes on Indiana’s strategic location at the Crossroads of America by building a superior road infrastructure. This innovative plan will bring jobs to the Hoosier State and leave a legacy for Indiana to be a global leader in distribution and logistics.

INDIANAPOLIS – All lanes of I-465 eastbound have been reopened near I-69 on the city’s northeast side. Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) contractors completed emergency replacement of the concrete column knocked out during last week’s propane tanker crash and explosion. INDOT structural engineers inspected the contractors’ work and determined it was safe for traffic to travel on all I-465 lanes above.

Work continues under the bridges to remove contractor equipment and install new barriers where guardrail was knocked out. The I-69 southbound ramp to I-465 southbound is anticipated to reopen before the morning rush hour on Tuesday, October 27. Motorists are encouraged to “know before you go” by checking local traffic reports and INDOT’s traveler information Web site, http://TrafficWise.IN.gov.

SOUTH BOUND I 69 to I 465  SOUTH BOUND HAS REOPENED!!!

Two right lanes are expected to open at midnight

INDIANAPOLIS – Interstate 465 eastbound from U.S. 31 to 56th Street on the city’s northeast side is anticipated to reopen tonight at midnight after being closed due to Thursday’s tanker explosion at I-465 and I-69. The left lane over the bridge, as well as the I-69 southbound ramp to I-465 southbound, remains closed through midweek as crews continue repair work underneath the bridge.

Indiana Department of Transportation bridge inspectors, Purdue University School of Civil Engineering and private bridge consultants have agreed that no further structural repairs are required except for the replacement of the vertical support knocked out during Thursday’s incident. Bridge repair crews have been working both day and night shifts to replace the missing vertical support and perform other critical repairs to ensure motorist safety.

Motorists should expect delays in the area and plan accordingly. The Indiana Department of Transportation encourages through traffic in the area to use alternate routes when possible. Dynamic message boards posted along interstates approaching Indianapolis encourage through traffic to follow I-65 and I-70. Vehicles over 13 feet 6 inches in height must contact Department of Revenue Motor Carrier Services for a permitted route.

Upon the opening of I-465 eastbound, I-865 eastbound will also reopen. The I-465 eastbound ramps to Binford Boulevard southbound and I-69 northbound will open at that time as well.

Below is a listing of ramps that are open and closed at the busy I-465 and I-69 interchange. I-69 northbound and southbound remains open for through traffic connecting with Binford Boulevard.

· I-69 southbound ramp to I-465 southbound: CLOSED

· I-465 northbound ramp to I-69 northbound: OPEN

· I-69 southbound ramp to I-465 westbound: OPEN

· Binford Boulevard northbound ramp that loops up to enter I-465 westbound: OPEN

· I-465 eastbound ramp that loops down to enter I-69 northbound: OPEN

· I-465 eastbound ramp to Binford Boulevard southbound: OPEN

INDOT signal technicians will continue to monitor traffic flow on nearby interchanges and state highways and make temporary adjustments to signal timing. All motorists are encouraged to “know before you go” by checking local traffic reports and INDOT’s traveler information Web site, http://TrafficWise.IN.gov.

November 13, 2009 11:00 PM – 5:00 AM 40 S. Alabama St.
November 21, 2009 11:00 PM – 5:00 AM 40 S. Alabama St.
November 27, 2009 11:00 PM – 5:00 AM 40 S. Alabama St.
November 28, 2009 11:00 PM – 5:00 AM 40 S. Alabama St.

Our OPO aggressive driving and seat belt enforcement will be conducted in the areas mentioned below.

November 13, 2009 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM S. Penn. St. & South St.
November 16, 2009 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM W. 38 St. & High School Rd.
November 18, 2009 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM W. 38 St. & Lafayette Rd.
November 25, 2009 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM 86 St. & Ditch Rd.

The Marion County Traffic Safety Partnership is an active network of citizens who have banded together with a pledge to take positive action at the local level to combat traffic safety issues. The Partnership will help to develop, facilitate, and coordinate education and enforcement activities to reduce the number of traffic fatalities and injuries. Funding for this program is made possible through a grant received from the Governor’s Council on Impaired and Dangerous Driving.
To receive additional information about and saturation patrols or scheduel “ride-alongs”, please call Don Bickel, at (317) 327-5356.

I-69 South to East Side

• From SB 69, exit at SR 238 (Exit 10) and turn left at the light.  Drive about 1/2 mile to the traffic circle.  Take Olio Road south thru Fishers over Giest Reservoir, (road becomes CR 600 W/Mt. Comfort Road).
  • To reach Lawrence, turn right on Pendleton Pike/US 36. (Detour 15.14 Miles)
  • To reach east side/downtown continue south to I-70.   (Detour 19.8 Miles)

I-69 South to Shadeland

• Take I-69 south to Binford Blvd.   Turn left on 75th St. or 71St. and head East to Shadeland.  Turn right on Shadeland to I-465. (Detour 3.2 Miles)

I-465 to East Side (Shadeland & 71st)

• Exit I-465 to Meridian.  Turn right on Meridian and take to 86th Street east to Keystone Blvd.  Turn right onto Keystone to 71st. St.  Turn left 71st St. eastbound past Allisonville Rd. and Binford Blvd. to Shadeland. (Detour 9.88 Miles)

I-465 to East Side (Lawrence)

• Exit I-465 at Meridian.  Take Meridian south to Kessler Blvd.  Turn left on Kessler and take east to East 56th St.  Turn left on E. 56th to I-465. (Detour 10.91 Miles)

I-465 WB to Keystone

• Take I-69 north to 96th Street (Exit 3).  Take 96th St. west to Keystone Blvd.  Turn left on Keystone and head south to I-465. (Detour 8.04 Miles)