State highway officials have shortened to five the list of possible routes for the planned Interstate 69 extension between Indianapolis and Evansville.
The estimated costs for the five routes range from $805 million to $1.6 billion, State Highway Commissioner J. Bryan Nicol said Tuesday during a news conference
Route Concept A will consist of about 155 - 158 driving miles from I-64 / US 41 to I-465. This route concept will begin at the US 41 / I-64 interchange, and will use the existing US 41 alignment northward to the proposed SR 641 Terre Haute bypass. Some options will be considered through or around Fort Branch, Vincennes, and Farmersburg. This route concept will then use the SR 641 bypass to I-70, and I-70 from SR 641 to I-465.
Route Concept C will consist of about 146 - 149 driving miles from I-64 / US 41 to I-465. This route concept will begin at the US 41 / I-64 interchange, and will use the existing US 41 alignment, northward to SR 67. Some options will be considered through or around Fort Branch and Vincennes. This route concept will then follow the SR 67 corridor to Paragon, in Morgan County. The route concept would travel cross-country, northward, from Paragon, in Morgan County, to I-70. Some alternatives will be considered between Paragon, in Morgan County, and I-70. This route concept will then travel along I-70 to I-465.
Route Concept F will consist of about 141 - 142 driving miles from I-64 / I-164 / SR 57 to I-465. This route concept will begin at the I-64 / I-164 / SR 57 interchange, and follow the SR 57 corridor northeast to Newberry, in Greene County. Two options will be considered to bypass Washington. The route concept will travel cross-country, east, from Newberry to US 231, then northeast to around SR 46, near Ellettsville, in Monroe County, and north to I-70. Two options will be considered between Paragon, in Morgan County, and I-70. This route concept will then travel along I-70 to I-465.
Route Concept J will consist of about 141 - 142 driving miles from I-64 / I-164 / SR 57 to I-465. This route concept will begin at the I-64 / I-164 / SR 57 interchange, and follow the SR 57 corridor, northeast to SR 67. Some options will be considered to bypass Washington. It will then use the SR 67 corridor, northeast, to Paragon, in Morgan County, where it will travel north, cross-country, to I-70. Some options will be considered between Paragon and I-70. This route concept will then travel on I-70 to I-465.
Route Concept L will consist of about 146 - 152 driving miles from I-64 / I-164 / SR 57 to I-465. This route concept will begin at the I-64 / I-164 / SR 57 interchange, and follow the SR 57 corridor, northeast, to US 50, near Washington. Some options will be considered to bypass Washington. This route concept will then travel along the US 50 corridor to SR 37, where it will follow the SR 37 corridor to SR 39. Two alternatives are being considered to bring this route concept from SR 39 to I-465. The first alternative travels along the SR 39 corridor, northward, to I-70, and then takes I-70 to I-465. The second alternative will use the SR 37 corridor to I-465. For portions of the SR 37 corridor, cross-country options will be considered.
