It’s been over a year since INDOT began its $350 million project to overhaul downtown Indy’s I-65/I-70 interchange + today we’re going the extra mile to update you on the road ahead.
Putting it in reverse
The North Split is one of the busiest interchanges in central Indiana with ~214,000 vehicles traveling through it every day. After 50 years of service, it’s been undergoing a facelift since May 15, 2021 with a plan for a reconstructed interchange, replaced pavement, reconfigured ramps + rehabilitated bridges. The goal is to improve safety and reduce congestion by eliminating bottlenecks.
The mile markers
“Great progress is being made on the North Split project in downtown Indianapolis,” Kyleigh Cramer, INDOT Greenfield District Public Relations Director said. “By the end of 2022, Hoosiers will have a much safer route through downtown that should result in fewer crashes and injuries.
“INDOT is also shrinking the footprint of the interchange and will add many improvements to the area around the North Split including an urban forest, upgraded lighting, and wider sidewalks.”
Progress has been made, including:
- Demolition of 38 out of 51 bridges in need of repair
- Reconstruction of four bridges and one ramp
- Placement of 217 out of 390 concrete beams (the largest weighing a whopping 250,000 pounds)
- Movement of 560,000 out of one million total cubic yards of earth
Speeding ahead
The interchange is scheduled to reopen by the end of this year and by the end of 2023, pedestrian-friendly elements will be added, such as:
- 223 new lights
- 12,100 ft of sidewalk and trail
- 4,500 decorative + shade trees
- 5,000 big + small shrubs
Current street + ramp closures include:
- Ohio Street until mid-July
- Lewis Street until mid-July
- Michigan Street (right turns onto ramp I-70 eastbound closed Monday-Friday from 4-6 p.m.) until fall
- Delaware/11th Street ramp to I-70 eastbound until summer
- Pine Street ramp to I-70 eastbound (left lane) until fall
- I-65 southbound/I-70 westbound to Ohio Street until fall
If you want even more information, your neighborhood can request a presentation about the Split by contacting INDOT Customer Service. You can also access this map.
