INDIANAPOLIS – Construction has been taking up nearly every part of I-465 this summer, and INDOT is already working on future plans for the interstate, connecting to US-31.
With projects such as the I-69 Finish Line and 465 Clear Path going on these last few months, some drivers are fed up with the road work.
“The traffic has been crazy,” said one driver, Robin Schugar. “I wonder if the people in surrounding towns even talk to each other before they make construction plans because one day I could not get to work physically because the roads were closed.”
However, INDOT is looking ahead. The ramps connecting I-465 to US-31 need some serious help according to INDOT and drivers.
“We’d be going eastbound on 465, once I get to the 31 exit, it just stacked up,” said another driver, Rockland Lay.
Lay said traffic often slows to only 5 to 10 miles an hour in the area and sometimes coming to a complete stop.
“If we don’t get ahead of it now, then we can definitely miss the mark, and that’s something that was really driving the why of this project and the need,” said Kyleigh Kramer, the public relations director for INDOT.
According to INDOT, approximately 105,000 cars pass along US-31 every day.
20 years from now, they anticipate that number to be around 160,000 cars.
“We are seeing folks move into this area and we’re seeing a big growth in this area, not only Carmel, but Westfield and other Hamilton County towns and cities,” said Cramer.
To help ease congestion and improve safety, Level Up 31 hopes to add lanes to Eastbound and Westbound 465 connecting to the US-31 North ramps.
Traffic from 465 will also become primary, with Northbound Meridian traffic merging in from the right.
“The extra lanes would definitely help it and maybe get it to where you could slow down to 45 or 50 and then keep on going if you’re going by or then at least help the people that are exiting off,” said Lay.
However, INDOT may change their plans based on feedback during public comment sessions.
INDOT said project details and timelines are expected to come out sometime this winter.
For anyone interested in attending the upcoming public meeting, it’s on Thursday, Sept. 26 at the Drury Plaza Hotel off of North Meridian at 6 p.m.
