I-465, I-69 construction concerns some businesses in short term
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A major construction project for I-465 and I-69 on the city’s northeast side begins Friday, and some businesses are raising concerns.
Two ramp closures will happen this weekend, but, while one is expected to be completed Monday, another will remain closed for two years.
“I think people are just going to want to be home because it’s going to get hot outside, so I think it’s going to be bad the next few years,” said John Stone, an artist at Black Ink Indianapolis.
According to Indiana Department of Transportation, the construction project aims to improve safety and traffic flow the I-465/I-69 interchange. The project will rebuild and add lanes to I-465 between I-69/Binford Boulevard and the White River.
The project includes more travel lanes, new ramp lanes, 14 new bridges, two rehabilitated bridges, and maintenance work.
“It’s a lot of traffic now. It used to be very quiet, but it’s getting more traffic,” said Sonia Garcia, the co-owner of Alex Tailor Shop. “It’s really bad traffic, especially when people are getting off work, so it’s just really bad around this area.”
The Keystone Avenue on-ramp to I-465 eastbound will close during the weekend for restriping work and is expected to reopen Monday.
Construction on the Allisonville Road on-ramp to I-465 eastbound will also begin this weekend. However, that ramp will remain closed through 2024.
The closure is needed to make room for construction and help keep traffic flowing during the project. Traffic pattern changes to I-465 westbound are set for next weekend. Workers will restrict I-465 westbound to one lane to restripe the pavement and shift traffic closer to the eastbound lanes.
Alex Tailor Shop has been in the area for over 15 years, and Garcia says the road work will have an impact.
“Some people they say, they might think, ‘Well, every time I go with Sonia to Alex Tailor Shop it’s a mess,’ so they’re going to look for another alteration place around their home or other places, so it’s going to affect me,” Garcia said.
However, both Garcia and Stone say they believe once construction is complete, the new changes will bring a positive change.