INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announced plans to close I-65 and I-70 for up to 90 days this fall to lower the pavement beneath seven low bridges at the South Split. More than 400 oversize vehicles have struck South Split bridges over I-65 and I-70 since 1999, and the pace has increased in recent years. The most severe incident to date occurred on February 22 when an oversize vehicle struck the Virginia Avenue Bridge, requiring a weekend-long closure of northbound I-65 and eastbound I-70 for emergency repairs to a cracked bridge beam.
INDOT plans to use incentives and an innovative bidding technique that reduced closure days for the Allisonville Road Bridge and other projects around the state. INDOT will partner with the City of Indianapolis to keep traffic flowing and access open to downtown cultural districts, applying techniques that were successfully used during the 2003 Hyperfix project. Message boards and signage will direct I-65 and I-70 through traffic to use the south and west legs of I-465. Impacted motorists, residents and businesses are encouraged to visit www.SouthSplit.in.gov to learn more and sign up for the project’s e-mail list. Updates will also be provided on the Indiana Department of Transportation East Central Facebook page and on Twitter @INDOT_ECentral.