11:00 a.m. Monday Update:
INDOT officials have scheduled a media briefing for this afternoon to give an update on the bridge closure that's snarled I-65 traffic for several days. WBAA will attend and will provides updates both here and during All Things Considered newscasts this afternoon.
2:30 p.m. Sunday Update:
INDOT spokeswoman Debbie Calder says residents of Greater Lafayette can still use I-65 northbound by getting on from either SR 43 or SR 25.
The road is closed between Lebanon and just north of the bridge over Wildcat Creek. Calder says interstate traffic funneled onto US 52 has a choice at the intersection of SR 52 and SR 28: local traffic heading to the Lafayette area can stay on US 52, but interstate traffic heading to points north of Greater Lafayette should take the detour onto SR 28 and eventually onto US 231.
10:30 a.m. Sunday Update:
The Indiana Department of Transportation says soil experts have begun examining the ground into which the troublesome bridge over Wildcat Creek is sunk, in hopes of learning more about what caused it to fail a second time on Friday.
There's still no estimate when the more than 30 miles of I-65 northbound that were closed on Friday as a result of the bridge problem will reopen.
WBAA News Director Stan Jastrzebski drove between Indianapolis and Lafayette on I-65 Saturday and noticed travel times increasing by at least 30 minutes, even in light traffic. Expect much longer waits as rush hour begins Monday.
7:30 a.m. Saturday Update:
Engineers monitoring the I-65 bridge over Wildcat Creek now say one of the piers believed to be causing the unusual shaking in the roadway has sunk into the ground. A press release from INDOT says, in part:
Both in-state and out-of-state soils or geotechnical experts with the Indiana Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration and Walsh Construction will be on site evaluating. Testing may be needed to identify the proper course of action.
Walsh Construction is the firm that was working on an expansion of the bridge at the time the problems were discovered, and is the lead partner in one of the three finalist bids to redesign West Lafayette's State Street.
Electronic signs along I-65 northbound as far south as the Louisville area now alert motorists to the road closure and related detours. INDOT has asked the road construction in the area where U.S. 231 and I-65 meet in White County (exit 193) to be suspended temporarily so traffic can flow more smoothly back onto the interstate and continue north. The same detours put in place Friday remain in place.
There's still no estimate on when the road might reopen.
4:00 p.m. Friday Update:
Structural engineers monitoring the Wildcat Creek bridge over Interstate 65 have noticed the same shaking that closed the bridge earlier this week and decided to close an even longer stretch of the northbound interstate as a precaution. A press release sent out Friday afternoon by the Indiana Department of Transportation says, in part:
Engineers continue to assess, and more information about repairs and an estimated reopening time are not immediately available.
Detour
I-65 northbound merges to one lane and is diverted onto U.S. 52 at Exit 141 north of Lebanon. Follow U.S. 52 north for nearly 17 miles, then turn left at State Road 28. Follow S.R. 28 west for about 10 miles, then turn right onto U.S. 231. Follow U.S. 231 north for about 33 miles until it intersects I-65 again in White County.
INDOT and law enforcement staff are helping to direct traffic where S.R. 28 turns north onto U.S. 231 at Romney. In addition, INDOT traffic engineers are monitoring traffic flow at U.S. 231 signals and adjusting timing patterns.
There are several ways that drivers can stay updated on the closure:
- Follow INDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/INDOT_WCentral or www.twitter.com/TrafficWise
- Follow INDOT on Facebook at www.facebook.com/INDOTWestCentral or www.facebook.com/IndianaDepartmentofTransportation
- Dial 511 from your mobile phone or 800-261-ROAD (7623)
- Watch for dynamic message boards on interstates leading to I-65 northbound
- On the web, visit http://indot.carsprogram.org or http://pws.trafficwise.org
- Turn on the red-yellow-green traffic feature on your mobile map app of choice
