The Tom Warne Report, 2 September 2011
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Drivers in southwestern Indiana can look forward to driving on some sections of the I-69 extension by the end of next year, thanks to good weather during the summer construction season. Construction crews on the $3 billion, 142-mile extension have been able to make up time from a wet spring with the dry weather in July and August.
“There has only been one unworkable day in the last two months,” said Tom Brummett, the project supervisor on a bridge that will carry I-69 over the White River between Pike and Davies counties. The portion of the highway stretching from I-64 near Evansville north to Oakland City will be 50 percent completed by late November, according to INDOT.
Highway department officials say that by breaking the project into several smaller sections and slowing down construction work has allowed them to save about $100 million from the total $700 million cost of the section from Evansville and Washington, because it led to more contractors submitting bids.