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INDOT moves up start of major I-65 SB closure to avoid Taylor Swift concerts

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Indianapolis, Indiana – A significant interstate closure close to downtown Indianapolis is now expected to be completed before Taylor Swift’s performances at Lucas Oil Stadium, which is good news for both commuters and Swift fans.

The Indiana Department of Transportation declared on Wednesday that the massive I-65 closure would now begin three days sooner than scheduled.

Prior to this, INDOT disclosed their intention to entirely block I-65 southbound close to downtown Indianapolis for 16 days straight, starting on October 18, from West Street to Alabama Street. This would have meant that the closure would have remained in place on November 1, 2, and 3, when 200,000 people are anticipated to swarm downtown Indianapolis in anticipation of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concerts at Lucas Oil Stadium.

After numerous people expressed their displeasure with the inconvenient schedule, INDOT promptly announced that the closure’s start date would now be October 15. Accordingly, assuming all goes according to plan, the expressway should reopen just before November officially begins.

All southbound traffic on I-65 will be forced to turn off at West Street due to the shutdown, directing traffic onto local streets in the downtown area.

As part of the closure, many ramps and exit ramps will be closed to facilitate joint and deck repairs and patching.

The following entry ramps will be closed for 16 days starting on October 15:

• 38th Street eastbound to I-65 southbound
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street southbound to I-65 southbound
• 29th Street eastbound and 30th Street westbound to I-65 southbound
• 21st Street eastbound and westbound to I-65 southbound
• West Street northbound to I-65 southbound

Exit ramps scheduled to be closed as part of the construction project include:

• I-65 southbound to Meridian Street
• I-65 southbound to Michigan Street, Ohio Street, and Fletcher Avenue
• I-65 southbound to I-70 eastbound and westbound

While the revamped schedule should hopefully help alleviate the strain on downtown traffic during the highly publicized Taylor Swift concerts, which is expected to bring in around 200,000 visitors with 87% being from outside central Indiana, several other events will still be going on in downtown Indianapolis during the closure.

These events include a Colts home game on Sunday, Oct. 20 and the National Future Farmers of America Conference set for Oct. 23 through Oct. 26, which is expected to bring 65,000 people to Indy.

 

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