Listen Live

We have another big honkin’ closure happening Friday night. This one is going to last nine days, during which you’ll miss your flight, get fired, and find your significant other shacked up with a sexy dairy farmer. A positive? The closure will reintroduce east-west travelers to the panoramic views of I-465 on the south side. Check the  “places to drive” column on anyone’s bucket list. Go ahead. It’ll read – in order of importance – Route 66, Pacific Coast Highway, West Virginia Turnpike, then I-465 south side. Nevermind the added time to your commute, because you’ll be in God’s country, where a double rainbow appears every evening above the Harding St. Flying J. 

But that’s not all! Other road work includes: Madison Ave. closing on the south part of downtown, and Pendleton Pike/U.S. 36 taking a break in Fortville.

Get ready, because another chaotic week of this wacky construction season kicks off Friday night. We got this!!


I-70 SHUTTING DOWN ON THE WEST SIDE

Mercy. Downtown drivers heading to the airport need to pay attention to this one. Beginning Friday night at 9pm until August 5th (a Monday morning) at 6am, BOTH DIRECTIONS of I-70 will close from the south split to I-465 on the west side (and vice versa). Take a look:

I-70 Closure

I-65 and I-465 on the south side will serve as the primary reroutes: 

  • Downtown to airport drivers will take southbound I-65 from the south split to I-465, then make their way to westbound I-70 on the west side.
  • Greenfield to the airport drivers will take southbound/westbound I-465 all the way around from the east side I-70/I-465 interchange. 
  • Airport to downtown drivers will use eastbound I-70 to southbound/eastbound I-465, then exit north on I-65.
  • Airport to Greenfield drivers will simply swing around on southbound/eastbound I-465 to the I-70 ramps on the east side. 

**You can also reroute on side streets like Washington, Minnesota, or Raymond (turns into Sam Jones Expw.), but expect ‘em to fill up during the thick of rush hour. 

***Southbound I-65 will be closed this weekend from the north split to the south split, doubling our fun on picking out a reroute from the east side (see below). 

Interstate reroute map:

I-70 Reroute


WEEKEND CLOSURE: SOUTHBOUND I-65

A day without an I-65 closure is a day without sunshine. Starting Friday night at 9pm and ending Monday morning at 6am, all lanes of southbound I-65/70 from the north split to the south split will be closed:

I65/I70 Closure

Again, the closure if for this weekend only. Everything kicks open early Monday.


MADISON AVE. CLOSING

Madison Ave. will shutdown in both directions between South St. and McCarty St. on Monday, July 29th through February 2020. The closure will allow Citizens Energy’s DigIndy project to expand and better filter out last night’s dinner from our fresh water bodies.

DigIndy = good thing, but the closure is going to suck, considering Madison Ave. is a key chunk of road for drivers making their way to I-70 (closed next week – see above). South side to downtown commuters also need to find a different way to go. Needless to say, streets in the south part of downtown are going to balloon up. Plan ahead:

Madison Ave. Closure


PENDLETON PIKE/U.S. 36 SHUTS DOWN IN FORTVILLE

Another biggie on Monday. Pendleton Pike/U.S. 36 will close in both directions from S.R. 234 to S.R. 9. It’ll last around three days – ending July 31st around 4pm.

The closure includes an eastern sliver of McCordsville, runs smack dab through Fortville, and ends south of Pendleton. We’re talking miles here, with a posted detour including S.R. 234 and S.R. 9 in both directions:

U.S. 36 Closure


That’s all a handful of mess, but still lingering is the I-465 closure on the southeast side next month. Also, keep an eye out for other ramp and lane restrictions around the metro area and surrounding counties, because they’re going to be there. Oh what fun.

Lastly, we’re waiting for the proverbial white smoke from DPW on the reopening of Central Ave. Bridge. It’s supposed to be done this month, and while my loved ones accurately accuse me of not knowing what day it is, I’m pretty sure July is almost over.  

Details coming on all of this. Until then, call your therapist, or find another way to relieve your road anxiety. I like to read the undergarment section in Sears catalog. My last copy is from 1989. If you have one from nineties, hit me up at @WIBCTraffic. We do road stuff there too, and drink up succulent tips like well bourbon on a big budget.

-Bair


Matt Bair is the new voice of Indianapolis traffic, and can be followed on Twitter @WIBCTraffic.. Tips? Call direct at (317) 684-8134 or the 93 WIBC Newsroom at (317) 637-6397.

Bear Bath