After a nearly three-week-long closure, the westbound lanes of Interstate 465 will reopen to traffic before the Thursday morning rush hour.
Construction crews have been working on the I-465 westbound lanes between Interstate 65 and Interstate 70 on Indianapolis’s southwest side since July 7, following a June closure on the eastbound lanes. In order to add capacity to the road in preparation for the completion of Interstate 69 next year, they’ve worked on bridge deck overlays, road surface upgrades and placement of drainage structures, according to a weekly update from the Indiana Department of Transportation.
As work wraps up, westbound traffic will move back to its temporary configuration of three travel lanes with concrete barriers on both shoulders as crews work nearby. Drivers on eastbound I-465 should watch for trucks entering and exiting the highway as work continues on the I-69 to I-465 interchange. There will be nightly paving operations on Harding Street under I-465 this week as workers replace pavement removed to accommodate I-465 bridge work, INDOT officials say.
Work is expected to pick up in Johnson County as crews prepare for a traffic switch at the Smith Valley interchange next month. INDOT officials expect to release more details next week. Elsewhere in the county, State Road 37/I-69 narrows to one lane under County Road 144, which may cause delays during the morning and evening rush hours. Drivers should watch for workers on the median and shoulder as they install highway fencing and cable rails, along with other finishing touches, INDOT officials say.
