INDIANAPOLIS — Get ready for major closures on a major thoroughfare around Indianapolis.
INDOT is closing a stretch of I-465 on the city's southeast side and it could lead to delays.
INDOT has announced temporary closures on I-465 on the southwest side of Indianapolis in June and July as a component of the I-69 Finish Line project.
The first to close is eastbound I-465.
Starting June 2 all eastbound lanes of I-465 will be fully closed between I-65 and I-70. Essentially, it's closed eastbound from U.S. 31 to the airport.
This means the following exits will be closed:
- I-70 east and westbound to I-465 westbound
- Kentucky Avenue/S.R. 67 to/from I-465 eastbound
- Mann Road to I-465 eastbound
- Harding Street/S.R. 37 to/from I-465 eastbound
- East Street/U.S. 31 to/from I-465 eastbound
The detour for I-465 eastbound traffic will follow I-70 eastbound to I-65 southbound in the South Split.
Drivers in Indianapolis say they are frustrated by the closure.
"It's a nightmare out there. It's going to impact everybody. Anybody who says it doesn't is lying to you. Because there is nobody going one way that doesn't go the other way," Jerry Westlund said.
Some drivers are worried about the traffic it might cause, and the annoyance of the amount of time it will be closed.
"Can you you imagine? Anybody who is coming this way, change your route," Joan Landwehr said.
INDOT says the closure is vital to make the construction as efficient and safe as possible.
"The only way we saw plausible to do all of this stuff was to shut down 465. That was the safest way to go about all of this and it's also allowing us to get through this so much quicker," Kyleigh Cramer with INDOT said.
Still, drivers are optimistic about what the future of I-465 will look like.
According to INDOT, from July 7 through July 29, westbound lanes of I-465 will be fully closed to traffic between I-65 and I-70.
The detour for I-465 westbound traffic will follow I-65 northbound to I-70 westbound in the South Split. The following ramps will be closed for the duration of the closure:
- I-65 northbound/southbound to I-465 westbound
- East Street/U.S. 31 to/from I-465 westbound
- Harding Street/S.R. 37 to/from I-465 westbound
- Kentucky Avenue/S.R. 67 to/from I-465 westbound
INDOT says the southbound U.S. 31 (East Street) ramp to I-465 westbound that is currently closed will remain closed through late 2024.
