AASHTO Journal, 15 November 2013
The Indiana Department of Transportation last week was informed that the U.S. Department of Transportation approved its request to increase the federal share of a major interchange project in Indianapolis that will improve the movement of freight along critical corridors.
INDOT’s $40 million I-465/I-65 Interchange project includes construction of a two-lane flyover ramp, the expansion of existing ramps, and the addition of new lanes to help the flow of traffic now and in the future. The interchange is recognized as a critical freight route, serving more than 110,000 vehicles (19,000 of which are trucks) per day. With the increased federal share, the Federal Highway Administration will now cover 95 percent of project costs, or $37.8 million.
“The additional investment in the I-465/I-65 Interchange will help improve mobility throughout this freight corridor and help grow our economy,” said USDOT Secretary Anthony Foxx in a statement. “More than 100 million tons of freight are currently carried through the Indianapolis region by trucks each year and this project will help businesses move even more goods.”
The I-465/I-65 Interchange project is the second project nationwide to use a new provision in the current surface transportation law, MAP-21, allowing the USDOT Secretary discretion to raise the federal match on eligible “critical freight projects.” The first to do so was also in Indiana—the U.S. 31 Hamilton County project north of Indianapolis.
“Indiana is among the first states to take advantage of innovative tools and resources under the MAP-21 transportation legislation to speed delivery of critical transportation projects,” Indiana Governor Mike Pence said of the project earlier this year.
Additional information on the I-465/I-65 interchange project is available here.