Traffic change signifies milestone for North Split project

Indianapolis, Indiana – As the North Split project reaches a significant milestone, drivers will notice a significant shift.

Starting on Thursday night, the Indiana Department of Transportation will switch traffic from the new I-70 westbound to I-65 northbound infrastructure (March 30).

Since July, a new bridge has been used to carry traffic from I-65 southbound to I-70 eastbound and from I-70 westbound to I-65 northbound.

Crews will start moving barrels and barrier walls on Thursday at 9 p.m. since the freshly laid pavement is now suitable for traffic. To move traffic off the bridge and onto the new pavement, they will labor through the night.

According to INDOT, both I-65 southbound to I-70 eastbound and I-70 westbound to I-65 northbound will maintain two lanes each via the North Split.

The northbound Rural Street ramp to I-70 westbound will open after the shift. Until the I-65 lanes are reopened at the end of April, the southbound Keystone ramp to I-70 westbound will be closed.

Traffic will use separate lanes to access I-70 westbound and Michigan Street under the revised arrangement.

If you’re driving through the Split on I-70 in the west:

• Stay in the right two lanes to continue on I-70 WB to I-65 NB.
• Use the left two lanes to continue through the North Split interchange on I-70 WB toward the airport.
• Use the center lane to take the C/D ramp to Michigan St.

Up until I-65 is reopened at the North Split, the Meridian/Pennsylvania ramp will remain closed. The ramp will no longer be accessible to I-70 westbound traffic in the finished design.
Vehicles will have several options for getting to downtown Indianapolis:

• I-70 WB collector/distributor (C/D) exit ramp to Michigan Street
• I-65 NB/ I-70 EB exit ramp to Washington Street
• I-70 WB to Martin Luther King. Jr/West Street
• I-65 SB to Meridian Street
• I-65 SB to West Street
• All existing ramps on I-70 west of the South Split