MARTINSVILLE, Ind. — There is some good news for drivers who have suffered through the traffic nightmare known as the I-69 Section Five project.
That’s the stretch of State Road 37 between Martinsville and Bloomington that is becoming part of I-69.
The work began four years ago and was slowed by a series of delays. But the Indiana Department of Transportation says the new highway should be complete by the end of August.
That probably won’t be in time for students heading to IU for the fall semester, but it should be ready for football fans driving to the Hoosiers’ home opener on September 8th.
INDOT official Andy Dietrick offered the timeline to members of the Martinsville Chamber of Commerce and also explained what is next.
Section Six is the final I-69 project in Indiana, following the route of State Road 37 from Martinsville to I 465 on the Indianapolis South Side.
Some work could begin as early as next year, and the 26 miles of the interstate is projected to be done in 2027 at a cost of $1.5 billion.
Section Six is complicated. It begins in Martinsville, where the highway’s corridor is also the town’s main business district.
The route continues north into the growing Johnson County suburbs where it will hook up with I 465 in Indianapolis.
The long-term plan for I 69 takes it from the Canadian border at Port Huron, Michigan to the Mexican border in Texas.
The highway is complete from Port Huron to Indianapolis and when Section Six is done, there will be a direct route to Evansville.
(PHOTO: RTV6)
