Major traffic shift on I-70 for North Split project to start Thursday night

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Lanes on I-70 east of the North Split will shift to a new configuration Thursday night, the Indiana Department of Transportation announced. The shift is part of the $350 million project to redesign the I-65/I-70 North Split interchange.

The two inside lanes of I-70 eastbound will shift onto what is now I-70 westbound for about one mile. The shift will begin around 8 p.m. Thursday, if weather allows.

Concrete construction barriers will separate the eastbound and westbound I-70 traffic. The I-70 westbound lanes will shift onto the outside lanes and the existing shoulder.

The I-70 westbound lane shifts will provide two lanes to I-70 westbound/I-65 southbound, an exit to Ohio Street/Fletcher Avenue, and two lanes to I-65 northbound, INDOT said.

The full closure of the North Split interchange is expected on May 22.

The crossover lane shift for eastbound I-70 is just after the Pine Street onramp traffic merges onto eastbound I-70 and runs to just before the Rural/Keystone interchange, INDOT said. Concrete barriers will separate the two inside lanes of I-70, separating them from eastbound and westbound I-70 within the construction zone.

The remaining eastbound lanes will shift toward the center median and construction will be underway on the south side of the road.

I-70 eastbound traffic will cross back over to its original configuration just before the Rural/Keystone interchange, INDOT said.

There will be four lanes of traffic on both I-70 eastbound and westbound. I-70 east of the North Split will stay in this temporary configuration until July.

Detailed maps with construction-related closure and access information can be found here.