The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 13

THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR WWW.INDYSTAR.COM CitylStatB m. MONDAY, APRIL 29. 2002 B3 COMMUTING QUN A recap I i i cc II i Summitville fI I O' traiiic projects 111 that could affect A jfX II your travel time. 0reseLfg I II I Alexandria Wfl Jl frankton I i1 'J26 1 I 1 Hamiltjon Co. I 1 I ArcadiaV Madison Co.

Vc Az-vT" Boone Con 1 A lXSneridan 4 Perkinsvil, ,1 PA wkrW vv-lw iMI Thorntowr liTH 38l Morse I I ResenvirSt sr Chesterfield Anderson LT iNoblesville-. Jf yf fL Advance 7 (Hn jJ'Pendleton-Hg Zionsville L-" NWVlfftJff Hancock C'f Brownsburg Ust I I Charlottesville New Hendricks Co. clermont Hj iJpT itf rC Winchester a mriCT 3 Cumberland Danville Avon PI Tnlml MtT f-r. i 1 (mU- Jp. p---7lSl deenfield 7 Amo Clay-.

PJfV fYjV i 1 1 47 PrAAsrP-5fBd, ShelbyCo, oTnSrowa Indianapolis 3 Jstilesville Mooresville if V. 4 Greenwoodl ---Monrovia A Morgan Co. I Brooklyn fy JomsonGo. -vV Bailie -fhJ (C Whitelad byviiie xv Hot Spot -Sr 'Morgan-Monroe and Wildlife Area I I I I rsr Slale Forest rrt Hl JF Prince's I rr tJ, Morgantown Lakes -L-U-ff I1' 1 DRIVER'S FORUM Dan McFeely 1-865 name does follow protocol You would think naming a highway would be pretty noncontroversial. Pick a few numbers, paint some signs and boom! Last week, The Indianapolis Star broke the story about the renaming of the "dogleg" on the Northwestside to I-86S.

You might think we have an inside mole at the Indiana Department of Transportation. But in this case, the word about the new highway name was leaked on an Internet chat room long before it was official. A rather interesting discussion about the highway was taking place in the chat room when a true road-geek from St. Louis, who reads The Star online, wrote and asked if we had heard anything about the new highway name. Needless to say, the folks at the Department of Transportation were rather shocked to hear that we had found out nearly two weeks before they were ready to go public.

Don't you just love the Web? Meanwhile, there also is controversy over the "865" designa-tioa Here are some notes we received after last week's From Jim W. "I thought the national highway group had established rules long ago, fnter- states, that circled, cities were 3-' digit number! but started wltbjui even numbed. Interstates that acted as 'spurs' into a city with pdd such as' 1-164 at EvansVille. 1-865, thesis incoa-' sistent with the norm." from Bob "Did'Jhe old rules change? How dif this end up With an even number beginning its 3-digit designation?" From Barry change does not make jense. This stretch is a spur and should be labeled, for instaji'ce'I-761 Who should be contacted about this error?" -i'f' From Lee B.

t-'Maybe, spell it out, like "I ATE 65j" This debate qyerrthe'odd and even digits also played out on the Internet. We checked with Roger Man--ning, the chief spokesman at the Indiana Department of Transportation, who explains it 'this way: Roger said 865 was chosen "because routes that connect two interstates or a mainline inter- state to its beltway must cany a 3-digit number with an even numbered prefix. f. "Here is the guide: If the first of the three digits is an even number, the highway connects to another interstate at both ends. If it is an odd number, the highway is a spur that connects with an interstate at only one end." He goes on to note that even though the number six, as in 1-665, was available, officials opted for "865" because they felt "665" could sound a lot like "65" when someone calls police from a cell phone.

"If a caller says, 'I'm on a dispatcher might have to ask, did they stutter? But Tm on 1-865' is very clear." By the way, for you history buffs, you might note that when 1-465 was designed in 1957, it was not exactly shaped as a circle. It began at 1-65 Exit 129 r- the western end of the old "dogleg" and continued east around the city, ending at 1-65 Exit 123, which we now know as the Northwest-side interchange where 1-65 splits off of 1-465 toward Chicago. Then the state decided to build a short state highway they were to call it Ind. 100 that would take traffic from I-465-up through the area we now call Park 100, hooking onto 1-465 at the eastern end of the old "dogleg." But because it was built to interstate standards and considered an obvious continuation of 1-465, the state petitioned the feds to allow the highway to become an interstate, which it was when it opened in 1970, according to Manning. And it just made sense to call it 1-465, too.

So, while most people think the old "dogleg" the new 1-865 was added as a spur off of 1-465, in reality, it was part of the original bypass of the city. Now, I've got another plan. How about we run this 1-865 farther west and hook it up with 1-74 in Jamestown? That sure would save some time for Illinois-bound travelers. And while you're at it, you might as well make it a second outer loop. Take it south of Jamestown to Paragon, then east over to Trafalgar and Shelbyville, then north up to Greenfield and Lapel, where it could end on 1-69.

I'd continue it across Hamilton County if property wasn't so darn expensive up there. Call Dan McFeely at 1-317-444-6230. IVICJUI5UII lUUIIlV northbound 1-465 northbound I-465 1 tj ran nasi I I I (X 30th St. a jj-jf -Mfrl Industrial i 25th St. -r Park 1 tgH'lF 21stSt.

16th St. 2: triJll I Boone County 1. Lebanon: I-65 from Ind. 47 to Ind. 52 one lane only in each direction through May 1 3 for work on Spring Creek bridge.

2. Pike: Ind. 47 bridge over Prairie Creek one lane only, controlled by signals, through July 31 for bridge work. 3. Fayette: Indianapolis Road one lane only from Ind.

267 to Ind. 334 for road work through June 1 4. Zionsville: Ind. 334 closed from Ford Road to Elm Street through Sept. 30 for road rehabilitation.

Through traffic is prohibited, but local detours to the downtown business district are posted. tv Westbound I-70 to Westbound i-70 to southbound I-465 Eastbound i-70 to southbound I-465. Ramp restrictions: Eastbound I-70 to northbound I-465, one lane Southbound I-465 to westbound i-70, one lane. Lane restrictions: I-465 north of I-70 to 38th Street, three lanes in each direction I-465 south of I-70 to 10th Street, two lanes in each direction Eastbound I-70 from Shadeland Avenue to Franklin Road, two lanes only. Northwest 30.

All I-465 ramps to Michigan Road (U.S. 421) restricted to just one left-turning lane (rather than two) and one right-turning lane until Oct. 31 Expect backups during rush hour. No loads wider than 10 feet. Local road closures 31.

Center Township: One-half block of Cleveland Street near the Clevelander Condominiums closed through May 8 for building renovation. Access to its parking lot and to the north will be available. 32. Center Township: 32nd Street closed from College Avenue to Fall Creek Parkway through Nov. 1 5 for sewer work.

Local access available. 33. Clermont: U.S. 136 at the CSX railroad bridge various restrictions through Aug. 31, 2003, for demolition and reconstruction of the bridge and roadway.

34. Franklin Township: Arlington Avenue closed from Riva Ridge Drive to Thompson Road from Tuesday through Thursday for installation of a manhole cover. streets. 11. Noblesville: Allisonville Road from 146th Street to Carbon Street various restrictions through June 30 for road rehabilitation.

12. Strawtown: Strawtown Avenue closed from Ind. 37 to Craig Avenue through Friday for road work. Detour is posted. 13.

Wayne Township: 191st Street closed from Cyntheanne Road to Ind. 32 through mid-July for Stony Creek bridge replacement. Detour in place. 14. Westfield: Westfield Boulevard closed from 161st Street to U.S.

31 through mid-July for Cool Creek bridge replacement. Hancock County 15. New Palestine: Meridian Road closed from County Road 400 South to County Road 500 South through mid-May for culvert replacement. Hendricks County 16. Brownsburg: Ind.

267 closed to northbound traffic at U.S. 136 and southbound traffic at 56th Street today through Friday for railroad crossing repair. Detours in place. Local access available. 17.

Lizton: U.S. 136 closed from Ind. 39 to Ind. 75 through Aug. 1 for bridge replacement over the west fork of Big Walnut Creek.

Detour in place. Johnson County 18. Camp Atterbury: Hospital Road bridge over Sugar Creek various lane restrictions through June for bridge work. 19. Franklin: King Street bridge closed through May 6 for renovation.

20. Franklin Township: Alexander Ditch bridge closed at County Road 200 North and County Road 75 West through mid-June for bridge work. 21. Alexandria: County Road 200 East closed from County Road 1100 North to Ind. 28 through mid-May for bridge work.

22. Anderson: Ind. 9 from County Road 300 North to Ind. 128 only one lane in each direction through November for road rehabilitation. 23.

Ingalls: County Road 650 West closed from the Ingalls town limit to Fall Creek Drive through Oct. 1 for bridge work. 24. Lapel: Ind. 13 closed from Ind.

38 to Ind. 32 through Friday for railroad crossing repair. 25. Pendleton: County Road 650 West closed from Fall Creek Drive to County Road 800 South today through Aug. 1 for road reconstruction.

Local access available. 26. Summitville: County Road 1400 North closed from County Road 200 East to County Road 300 East through mid-May for bridge work. Marion County Major highway closures I-465 and I-74 work zone 27. 1-74 westbound to I-465 southbound ramp closed through June.

28. 1-74 eastbound from Hunter Road to Fisher Road restricted to one lane only today and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for work on flyover ramp. I-46S and I-7Q work zone 29.

Lane restrictions on both I-465 and I-70 are in effect 24 hours a day. Several ramps are closed or restricted. Signs are posted marking official state detours. Ramp closures Shadeland Avenue to eastbound I-70 Southbound I-465 to eastbound I-70 40. Martinsville: East Gray Street closed at Martinsville High School through mid-May for bridge replacement.

Enter school at Illinois Street or York Street. 41. Martinsville: Morgan Street various restrictions from Hospital Drive to Grassyfork Lane through May for infrastructure improvements. Detour in place. Local access available.

42. Paragon: The second bridge on Paragon Road outside the town limits has an emergency restriction to one lane only until a run-around can be built. No loads wider than 10 feet. 35. Lawrence Township: Oaklandon Road closed from 86th Street to Old Stone Drive today and Tuesday for work on the Admirals Point bridge.

Detour in place. 36. Lawrence and Warren townships: Arlington Avenue from Pleasant Run Parkway to Radnor Road various lane restrictions through April for traffic signal upgrades. 37. Lawrence and Warren townships: Shadeland Avenue from I-70 to Pendleton Pike various lane restrictions through April for traffic signal upgrades.

38. Warren Township: Post Road from Washington Street to 25th Street lane restrictions through July. At Post Road and I-70, watch for more lane closures 5. Cicero: Tollgate Road closed between 236th Street and 241st Street through Wednesday for bridge work. 6.

Clay Township: U.S. 421 from 92nd Street to 1 06th Street one lane only in each direction until November for pavement replacement. No loads wider than 10 feet. Ind. 334 cannot be used as an alternative route for oversized loads.

7. Fall Creek Township: 146th Street closed from Ind. 238 to Olio Road through May for Sand Creek bridge replacement. Detour in place. 8.

Fishers: Allisonville Road under construction from Easy Street to Sunblest Boulevard through spring. Two lanes of traffic will be maintained at all times. 9. Jolietville: Joliet Road closed from 166th Street to Ind. 32 through May for bridge replacement.

10. Noblesville: Pleasant Street closed between Eighth and 13th streets through Sept. 23 for road improvement project. All the roads and alleys along Pleasant Street closed except at Eighth and 10th tv evenings and weekends due to road and storm sewer reconstruction. 39.

Wayne Township: Belmont Avenue closed from Minnesota Street to Kentucky Avenue through Oct. 15 for bridge work. Kentucky Avenue restricted to one lane in each direction. 43. Blue Ridge: County Road 800 East closed just south of Ind.

244 through mid-June for road repairs. 44. Fairland: County Road 400 North (Fairland Road) closed from I-74 to eastern Fairland city limit through December for road rehabilitation. 45. Shelbyville: Ind.

9 from i-74 to Shelbyville city limit various lane restrictions through mid-May for road work. Correspondent Jennifer Evans compiled this report..