Interstate 65 in Indiana

Interstate 65
Route information
Maintained by Indiana DOT
Length:	261.27 mi[1] (420.47 km)
Existed:	1956 – present
Major junctions
South end:	I-65 at Kentucky state line
	I-265 / SR 62 / SR 265 in Jeffersonville I-74 / I-465 in Indianapolis I-70 in Indianapolis I-465 in Indianapolis I-865 in Indianapolis I-80 / I-94 / US 6 in Gary
North end:	I-90 / Indiana Toll Road / US 12 / US 20 in Gary
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Indiana State Roads Interstate US State Former Scenic ← SR 64 SR 65 →

In the U.S. state of Indiana, Interstate 65 (I-65) traverses from the south-southeastern Falls City area bordering Louisville, Kentucky through the centrally located capital city of Indianapolis, to the northwestern Calumet Region of the Hoosier State which is part of the Chicago, Illinois metro area. The Indiana portion of I-65 begins in Jeffersonville after crossing the Ohio River and travels mainly north, passing just west of Columbus prior to reaching the Indianapolis metro area. Upon reaching Indianapolis, the route alignment of I-65 begins to run more to the northwest and subsequently passes Lafayette on that city's east and north sides. Northwest of there, in west-central Jasper County, the route again curves more northward as it approaches the Calumet Region. Shortly after passing a major junction with I-80 and I-94, I-65 reaches its northern national terminus in Gary at I-90 which is carried on the Indiana East-West Toll Road. Interstate 65 covers 261.27 miles (420.47 km) in the state of Indiana. This is one of the principal interstate highways that cross the state, and, more specifically, intersect at the city of Indianapolis, that has given the state the nickname of "Crossroads of America".

Route description

Interstate 65 enters the state northbound at Jeffersonville (across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky) on the Abraham Lincoln Bridge; traffic exiting the state travels on the John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge. I-65 travels past Clark State Forest before reaching Seymour to the north. I-65 intersects with US 50 providing access to Seymour to the west. US 31 runs parallel to the interstate until it reaches Indianapolis. North of Seymour, I-65 passes through Columbus. Just north of Columbus, I-65 runs near Camp Atterbury, an Indiana National Guard training base. The interstate continues north into Indianapolis.

Interstate 65 just outside Indianapolis

Interstate 65 crosses the I-465 loop before reaching Indianapolis. The section of Interstate 65 in downtown Indianapolis overlaps Interstate 70. The junctions are often referred to as the "North Split" and the "South Split", forming a section of interstate locally known as the "Inner Loop" or "Spaghetti Bowl" due to the visual complexity of the overlapping freeways. In 1999, the 25-mile (40 km) segment of Interstate 65 between the two Interstate 465 interchanges was renamed the Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds Highway. At mile marker 116, I-65 passes Crown Hill Cemetery, burial site and memorial of President Benjamin Harrison. I-65 leaves the I-465 loop on the northwest side of Indianapolis. The highway travels past Eagle Creek Park and it then passes the terminus of I-865 and picks up US 52.

The segment of Interstate 65 north of Indianapolis heads in the direction of Chicago, Illinois. US 52 runs concurrent until the north side of Lebanon. From this point US 52 runs parallel to I-65. At about the halfway point to the end of I-65 and Indianapolis, I-65 passes through Lafayette. I-65 crosses the Wabash River in Lafayette and passes next to Prophetstown State Park. North of Lafayette, I-65 passes through the open flatlands of northwest Indiana. Protruding from the fields are some of the hundreds of wind turbines of the Benton County Wind Farm and Fowler Ridge Wind Farm.

At approximately mile 199.4 is the time zone boundary between Central Time (Jasper County) and Eastern Time (White County). As with all time zone changes on highways maintained by the Indiana Department of Transportation, this change in time zone is not marked with any roadside signage.

Upon crossing into Lake County, over the Kankakee River, the highway is known as the Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway.^[2] It is known as this from that point to its northern terminus. The northern terminus of Interstate 65 is only ¹⁄₈ mile (0.20 km) north of Interstate 90 (Indiana Toll Road).

History

Initial Construction

Like all Interstate highways in Indiana, I-65 was constructed in segments which when all were complete, made up the route we know today. There were six segments in the southern portion of the state between the Kentucky border and the south leg of I-465 in Indianapolis, nine within the I-465 loop in Indy, and eleven more that made up the northern portion connecting the northwest side of Indianapolis to the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) in Gary.^[3]

The first section of Interstate 65 to be completed in Indiana was a 13.39 miles (21.55 km) stretch between a temporary connection with US 52 near Royalton in Boone County (just south of the present-day interchange with I-865) and the US 52 junction northwest of Lebanon, which opened in December of 1960. The initial southern Indiana portion, running 45.71 miles (73.56 km) between then-U.S. Highway 31E (now US 31) in Clarksville and U.S. 50 east of Seymour, saw its first traffic in November 1961. The final of the 17 segments of I-65 outside of I-465, 23.09 miles (37.16 km) from SR 252 near Edinburgh to Southport Road on Indy's far south side, opened on June 30, 1972.^[3]

Unlike for most of portions of I-70 within the I-465 beltway, several inner sections of I-65 were built throughout the overall project lifespan.^[3] But the final 3 segments from the south side through the heart of the city, including the common portion of I-65 and I-70 (east leg of the "Inner Belt"), were not finished and opened to traffic until around 1974.

Subsequent Improvements

2000s

Prior to 2004, the interchange from the Interstate 90 to southbound Interstate 65 required making a physical left turn onto I-65 via a traffic signal; traffic from northbound I-65 to I-90 bypassed the traffic signal via an isolated right-turn lane. This deficiency has since been corrected by a grade-separation.

2010s

As part of the Operation Indy Commute project, INDOT began work in 2013 to widen I-65 on both northbound and southbound mainlines from Exit 103 at Southport Road northward to the southern junction with I-465 (Exit 106), adding auxiliary lanes in this section to improve merging of traffic entering southbound I-65 from I-465 and entering northbound I-65 from westbound Southport Road. To reduce congestion on I-65 South from I-465 West, the loop ramp from westbound I-465 was replaced by a flyover ramp to southbound I-65. The eastbound I-465 exit to southbound I-65 South was also expanded for improved merging with traffic from the new west-to-south flyover. Most of this work was completed in late 2014.^[4]

Exit list

County	Location	mi[5]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Ohio River				John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge (southbound) Abraham Lincoln Bridge (northbound) I-65 continues south into Kentucky
Clark	Jeffersonville	0.32	0.51	0	Court Street, 6th Street – Jeffersonville	Southbound exit (Court St., Market St.) permanently closed on December 15, 2015
		0.62	1.00	1	US 31 south (10th Street)	Southern end of US 31 concurrency; southbound exit and northbound entrance; US 31 serves as service drives for I-65 until Exit 4
		0.77	1.24	1	10th Street – Jeffersonville	Formerly SR 62 east
		1.73	2.78	1	Brown's Station Way – New Albany	Northbound exit and southbound entrance; formerly SR 62 west
		2.07	3.33	2	Eastern Boulevard
		3.82	6.15	4	US 31 north / Lewis & Clark Parkway	Formerly SR 131
		5.03	8.10	5	Veterans Parkway
		5.70	9.17	6	I-265 west / SR 62 / SR 265 east – New Albany	I-265 east exit 7, west exits 7A-B; signed as exits 6A (east) & 6B (west)
	Sellersburg	7.36	11.84	7	SR 60 – Salem
		9.10	14.65	9	Charlestown Road – Speed, Sellersburg, New Albany	Formerly SR 311
	Memphis	15.78	25.40	16	Blue Lick Road
	Henryville	19.25	30.98	19	SR 160 – Charlestown, Henryville
Scott	Scottsburg	29.32	47.19	29	SR 56 (McClane Avenue) – Scottsburg, Salem	Signed as exits 29A (east) and 29B (west) southbound
	Austin	33.50	53.91	34	SR 256 (Main Street) – Austin	Signed as exits 34A (east) and 34B (west) southbound
Jackson	Vernon Township	36.52	58.77	36	US 31 (Armstrong Street) – Crothersville, Austin
		41.08	66.11	41	SR 250 – Uniontown, Crothersville
	Seymour	49.55	79.74	50	US 50 (Tipton Street) – North Vernon, Seymour, Brownstown	Signed as exits 50A (east) and 50B (west)
	Redding Township	55.32	89.03	55	SR 11 – Jonesville, Seymour
Bartholomew	Columbus	63.72	102.55	64	SR 58 west (450 South) – Walesboro, Ogilville
		68.29	109.90	68	SR 46 (Jonathan Moore Pike) – Nashville, Columbus, Bloomington
	Taylorsville	75.74	121.89	76	US 31 – Taylorsville, Columbus, Edinburgh	Signed as exits 76A (south) and 76B (north)
Shelby	Jackson Township	80.06	128.84	80	SR 252 (Shelbyville Road) – Edinburgh, Flat Rock
Johnson	Franklin	89.54	144.10	90	SR 44 (King Street) – Shelbyville, Franklin
	Pleasant Township	94.41	151.94	95	Whiteland Road – Whiteland
		97.22	156.46	97	East Worthsville Road	Diverging diamond interchange opened November 23,2015
	Greenwood	99.13	159.53	99	Main Street – Greenwood
Johnson–Marion county line	Greenwood–Indianapolis line	100.65	161.98	101	County Line Road
Marion	Indianapolis	103.03	165.81	103	Southport Road
		105.90	170.43	106	I-74 / I-465	I-74/465 exits 53A-B; future I-69.
		107.05	172.28	107	Keystone Avenue
		108.90	175.26	109	Raymond Street
		109.97	176.98	110A	Morris Street, Prospect Street	Northbound exit; Southbound entrance
		110.10	177.19	110B	I-70 west – St. Louis	Southern end of I-70 concurrency (eastbound I-70 exit 80); Northbound left exit to westbound I-70, left entrance by eastbound I-70
		110.39	177.66	110A	East Street	Southbound exit only
		110.52	177.86	112B	Fletcher Avenue	Southbound exit (from collector/distributor); Northbound left entrance (via Calvary Street)
		111.02	178.67	111	Washington Street	Northbound exit; Southbound entrance (to collector/distributor)
		111.20	178.96	112B	Ohio Street	Southbound exit (from collector/distributor); Northbound entrance via Pine Street (at Michigan St)
		111.49	179.43	112B	New York Street, Michigan Street	Southbound exit (from collector/distributor) via Davidson Street (at North Street); Northbound entrance via Pine Street (at Michigan St)
		111.60	179.60	112	I-70 east – Dayton, Columbus	Northern end of I-70 concurrency (westbound I-70 exit 83B); split entrance from Pine St (at Michigan Street) onto eastbound I-70 and left entry onto northbound I-65
		112.96	181.79	113	Pennsylvania Street, Meridian Street, Illinois Street	Split diamond interchange: Northbound exit to 12th Street (at Pennsylvania) and entrance (from 12th at Illinois); Southbound exit to 11th Street (at Illinois) and entry (from 11th at Delaware Street)
		113.51	182.68	114	Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, West Street	Northbound left exit; Southbound left entrance
		114.26	183.88	115	21st Street
		115.32	185.59	116	29th Street, 30th Street	No southbound exit
		115.79	186.35	117	Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street	No northbound exit
		118.89	191.33	119	38th Street	Directional access only; 38th Street serves as collector/distributor lanes for interchange with Kessler Boulevard and right-in/right-out access to/from Guion Road (no access to northbound I-65 from Guion)
		120.69	194.23	121	Lafayette Road
		122.69– 123.28	197.45– 198.40	123	I-465 – Indianapolis International Airport	Directional access only; airport signed southbound only
		124.17	199.83	124	71st Street
Boone	Eagle Township	129.09	207.75	129	I-865 east (US 52 east) to I-465	Southern end of US 52 concurrency; western terminus of I-865; southbound exit and northbound entrance
		129.85	208.97	130	CR 650 South/Oak Street – Zionsville, Whitestown	Formerly SR 334
	Perry Township	133.08	214.17	133	SR 267 – Brownsburg, Whitestown
	Lebanon	137.44	221.19	138	Indianapolis Road, Indianapolis Avenue — Lebanon	Southbound exit connects to Hall Baker Road; Lebanon only signed southbound; no access from northbound Hall Baker Road to southbound I-65
		138.61	223.07	139	SR 39 (Lebanon Street) – Lizton, Lebanon
		139.88	225.12	140	SR 32 (South Street) – Lebanon, Crawfordsville
		141.29	227.38	141	Lafayette Avenue	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
	Center Township	141.61	227.90	141	US 52 west	North end of US 52 concurrency; northbound exit and southbound entrance
	Washington Township	145.61	234.34	146	SR 47 – Thorntown, Sheridan
Clinton	Washington Township	157.56	253.57	158	SR 28 – Frankfort, Attica
Tippecanoe	Dayton	168.16	270.63	168	SR 25 south (Walnut Street) / SR 38 – Dayton, Lafayette	Southern end of SR 25 concurrency
	Lafayette	171.73	276.37	172	SR 26 (South Street) – Lafayette, Rossville
		174.77	281.27	175	SR 25 north (Schuyler Avenue) – Lafayette, Delphi	Northern end of SR 25 concurrency
	West Lafayette	177.90	286.30	178	SR 43 (River Road) – Brookston, West Lafayette
White	Prairie Township	187.54	301.82	188	SR 18 – Brookston, Fowler
	West Point Township	192.96	310.54	193	US 231 – Chalmers, Wolcott
Jasper	Carpenter Township	200.94	323.38	201	US 24 / US 231 – Wolcott, Remington
		204.51	329.13	205	US 231 – Remington, Rensselaer
	Newton Township	214.24	344.79	215	SR 114 – Morocco, Rensselaer
	Newton–Union township line	219.94	353.96	220	SR 14 – Winamac
	Keener Township	229.00	368.54	230	SR 10 – Roselawn, Demotte
Newton	No major junctions
Lake	Eagle Creek Township	239.31	385.13	240	SR 2 (181st Avenue) – Lowell, Hebron	Hebron signed northbound only
	Crown Point	246.68	396.99	247	US 231 – Crown Point, Hebron	Hebron signed southbound only
		249.48	401.50	249	109th Avenue – Crown Point, Winfield	Interchange opened September 30, 2010
	Merrillville	252.06	405.65	253	US 30 (Lincoln Highway) – Merrillville, Valparaiso, Schererville
		254.57	409.69	255	61st Avenue
	Hobart–Lake Station line	257.67	414.68	258	Bus. US 6 (Ridge Road)
	Gary	259.06	416.92	259	I-80 / I-94 / US 6 – Chicago, Toledo, Detroit	I-80/94 exits 11 (east only)-12; signed as exits 259A (west) & 259B (east).
		260.59	419.38	261	15th Avenue
		261.22	420.39	262	I-90 / Indiana Toll Road – Illinois, Ohio	I-90 exit 17; northbound exit and southbound entrance
		261.27	420.47	262	US 12 / US 20 – Portage, Gary	Northern terminus of I-65 at-grade
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access       Unopened

Auxiliary routes

I-65 has three auxiliary routes in Indiana:

• I-265: the Indiana segment of the incomplete beltway around Metro Louisville, running from I-65 in Clarksville to I-64 in New Albany and signed the Lee H. Hamilton Freeway. Construction of a bridge across the Ohio River to connect the Indiana segment of I-265 with the Kentucky segment is nearly complete.
• I-465: beltway around Indianapolis, signed as the USS Indianapolis Memorial Highway
• I-865: a connector from I-65 to the northwest corner of I-465 in Indianapolis

References

1. Federal Highway Administration (2002-10-31). "FHWA Route Log and Finder List: Table 1". Retrieved 2009-02-24.
2. "Memorial Highways and Bridges". Indiana Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
3. Ripple, David Alan. "History of the Interstate System in Indiana", Purdue University, 1975.
4. "OPERATION INDY COMMUTE - I-65 & I-465 SOUTH". Indiana Department of Transportation.
5. "INDOT Roadway Referencing System" (PDF). staff.

• Interstate 65 - Annual Average Daily Traffic

External links

Route map: Bing / Google

• Indiana Highway Ends: Interstate 65