WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. — Overnight lane and ramp closures are planned for Interstate 70 in Wayne County.
According to a press release, the closures will allow crews to strengthen road shoulders and remove some guardrails. The work is part of the Indiana Department of Transportation’s larger Revive I-70 initiative.
Work on the latest phase of the project will begin on Monday and end on Saturday, weather permitting. The following portions of I-70 will be impacted by the newest round of construction:
- I-70 eastbound between U.S. Highway 27 and the Ohio state line
- I-70 eastbound from Round Barn Road to U.S. Highway 27
The following ramps will also be shut down during construction:
- Ramps to and from I-70 eastbound to U.S. Highway 35
- Ramps to and from I-70 eastbound to U.S. Highway 27
Closures and lane restrictions will be implemented daily from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.
A traffic shift will also be necessary to allow crews to complete construction. INDOT reported that the shift will impact I-70 eastbound from Round Barn Road to U.S. Highway 27.
A traffic shift is already in place on I-70 westbound from U.S. Highway 27 to U.S. Highway 35.
INDOT indicated the shifts will afford crews additional room while they build new inside lanes on I-70.
Officials have reported that lane and shoulder widths will shrink during construction. Drivers should also expect to see heavy equipment like cranes while work is being done.
According to INDOT, one large crane will be stationed in the area for months to help crews complete construction. As the Revive I-70 initiative progresses, the crane will also be used to help demolish and reconstruct a bridge in the area.
I-70’s speed limit will be reduced to 55 mph during Revive I-70 construction.
When completed, the Revive I-70 project will have improved more than 20 miles of interstate roadway from Cambridge City to the Ohio state line. More than 2,500 tons of temporary patching is expected to be applied to the road during the Revive I-70 initiative.
The goal of the construction is to reduce road congestion, improve traffic flow and make I-70 safer.
Since the start of the year, there have been at least three serious crashes on I-70 in Wayne County. Two of those crashes resulted in fatalities, and another led to a semi spilling cans of Canada Dry all over the roadway.
Reporting on the two fatal crashes is available here and here. Additional information on the Revive I-70 initiative is available here.
