(MARTINSVILLE) – With I-69 Finish Line crews focusing their attention on Martinsville this year, city officials are looking ahead to what the completed project will mean to the area.
“I think it’s going to bring a lot of opportunities to Martinsville,” said Mayor Kenny Costin.
I-69 Finish Line will upgrade the existing State Road 37 to interstate standards from Martinsville to Indianapolis. It will eliminate at-grade crossings, construct overpasses and underpasses, build local access road connections and introduce interstate access points throughout the corridor.
“The mobility it’s going to give us and the opportunity to have businesses come here will help our community grow,” Costin said recently as work was completed on the Grand Valley Boulevard overpass. I-69 Finish Line includes over 26 miles of new interstate highway and more than 35 lane miles of new local access roads.’
Safety, convenience, and more visibility for Martinsville are some of the project benefits highlighted by Jamie Thompson Taylor, president of the Martinsville Chamber of Commerce.
“It’s going to help us bring more business to Martinsville,” said Thompson Taylor. “We’ve got a lot of potentials and we’ve never been able to really utilize that potential until now.”
Click here to hear more from Mayor Costin and the expected benefits I-69 Finish Line will mean for Martinsville.
Finishing touches have been made to the Grand Valley Boulevard overpass. The curved bridge railings are now complete. Powder-coated black railings were custom produced and recently installed.
A second turn lane was striped and the turn arrow activated last week for eastbound State Road 144 traffic turning left onto northbound State Road 37.
This will help safely move more traffic through the detour when a portion of State Road 37 closes in Martinsville for most of 2021.
Stay alert as drivers adjust to the new traffic signal at State Road 144 where Mann Road meets Centenary Drive. The intersection previously had a flasher and two-way stop.
Dirt work is underway at the Harriet Street end of the State Road 39 intersection with Morton Avenue. It’s to prepare for paving and curb work in the coming weeks.
State Road 67 traffic has shifted to the outside lanes at the bridge just south of State Road 144. The superstructure is being replaced in phases to keep two lanes open – one in each direction. The bridge is expected to fully reopen in late October.
Rolling closures are possible daily along State Road 37 near Egbert Road, Henderson Ford Road, Perry Road, Waverly Road and Whiteland Road.
Night-time hauling continues at Perry Road and State Road 37 to move fill material. The work is expected to continue for at least two more weeks.
Perry Road remains closed at State Road 37 and the detour follows New Harmony Road and Cragen Road and then to State Road 37. The Perry Lane connection with Perry Road is scheduled to be rebuilt in the next few weeks.
Country Club Road at State Road 37 is expected to close in early August to connect Country Club Road with Myra Lane using a new access road.
The I-69 Finish Line project office remains closed temporarily, but our Project Team remains ready to assist. Call 855-INDOT-4U or email INDOT@indot.in.gov to connect with the team. You can always find the latest news and information at I-69FinishLine.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
