34th Street Bridge over I-465 in Indy to Close This Week

Nighttime I-465 lane closures anticipated during demolition

INDIANAPOLIS, IN  - Westside motorists should anticipate detours as the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) prepares to replace the 34th Street bridge over I-465. Depending upon weather, contractors plan to close the bridge Monday afternoon, January 21. Traffic will be detoured through July over High School Road, 38th Street and Eagle Creek Parkway. At last count, over 11,000 vehicles use the bridge each day.

Winter weather will determine the pace of demolition work. Contractors plan to begin removing bridge railing or asphalt approaches during the day on Tuesday, January 22. Demolition crews are currently taking down remaining sections of the old 38th Street bridge, and anticipate starting work at 34th Street late next week. Nighttime I-465 lane closures will occur as crews work overhead.

When completed, the new bridge will allow more lanes of a revitalized I-465 to travel below. On the bridge above, wider shoulders and six-foot sidewalks will safely accommodate pedestrian and bicycle traffic. INDOT contracted with Weddle Brothers of Bloomington to replace the 34th Street and 46th Street overpasses for $10.6 million.

As one of the first segments of I-465 ever built, the eleven miles of interstate between West 56th Street and S.R. 67/Kentucky Avenue cannot handle existing traffic volumes at peak periods. Accelerate 465 is a Major Moves project that will add lanes to I-465 and reconfigure interchanges to promote the free-flow movement of traffic. Pedestrian crossings, noise barriers and other improvements will also benefit nearby residents.

Gov. Mitch Daniels' Major Moves highway program capitalizes on Indiana's strategic location at the Crossroads of America by building a superior road infrastructure. When complete in 2015, nearly $12 billion in critical highway projects will have been built. This innovative plan will bring jobs to the Hoosier State and leave a legacy for Indiana to be a global leader in distribution and logistics.

Source: Indiana Department of Transportation Press Release