Major road construction project in northwest Bloomington to begin as early as Tuesday

Boris Ladwig, The Herald-Times
·2 min read
Drivers on West Stonelake Drive, left, wait to turn onto Ind. 45/46 on Thursday, June 9, 2022.
Drivers on West Stonelake Drive, left, wait to turn onto Ind. 45/46 on Thursday, June 9, 2022.

Work was to begin as early as Tuesday on a $9.5 million road construction project that for months will restrict traffic on the Ind. 45/46 Bypass to one lane in each direction.

The Indiana Department of Transportation is adding left- and right-turn lanes to the state road near Stonelake Drive and Monroe Street and designate U-turn areas by adding a concrete wall to the median. Lane closures will take place just east of the Interstate 69 interchange, between Arlington Road and North Kinser Pike.

Crews will begin initial work by closing the inside lane of the eastbound and westbound bypass for patching, the agency said.

INDOT expects lane closures through November, which means they will interfere with traffic during Indiana University football and basketball games. The venues for both sports are about a mile east of the proposed construction area, which also is near the northside Kroger store.

An agency spokesman previously said INDOT has been coordinating with IU to minimize disruption.

The speed limit along that stretch of state road also will be lowered by 5 mph to 45mph, based on public feedback, according to engineering firm American Structurepoint.

To illustrate the changing traffic patterns for people arriving at the bypass from North Monroe Street and West Stonelake Drive, crews will post a guide sign at the intersection, according the engineering firm. Left-turn and U-turn only signs also will be installed along the bypass in both directions.

The project also includes sidewalks and a new off ramp for westbound traffic on the bypass to West Arlington Road. You can find more details about the project at structurepointpublic.com/sr46-46access.

The project is expected to be completed by July 2025, an INDOT spokeswoman said via email.

Crashes in area often involve rear-end collisions

Construction will begin as early as Tuesday on a project that will change how drivers enter east- and westbound Ind. 45/46 Bypass from Stonelake Drive. Southbound drivers on Stonelake will have to turn right, merge south and then U-Turn to head east. This option is illustrated on the rendering in red. Drivers also can turn right and use a yet-to-be-built ramp on the northside of the Bypass and use Arlington Road, Gurley Pike and Monroe Street to enter the Bypass to head east. That option is shown in green.

INDOT officials have said the project aims to improve access for local residents and reduce crashes. Residents who attended a public meeting largely agreed the area needs improvements, though some wondered whether the proposed changes were adequate or the best option.

INDOT officials have said the area has seen 65 accidents in the past decade, primarily involving rear-end collisions, but also T-bone and head-on crashes as drivers try to cross or turn off the state highway.

Project cost has increased to $9.5 million from an initially expected $8 million. The state will pay for 20% of the cost, with federal tax dollars covering 80%.

Boris Ladwig can be reached at bladwig@heraldt.com.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington 45/46 bypass construction project to begin this week