2013 Temporary Closure of I-65 (I-70/I-65 South Split Interchange) in the City of Indianapolis

Topics:  Interstate Highway System

Victor M. Mendez
Federal Highway Administration
August 22, 2013

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 163 (Thursday, August 22, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52232-52233]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-20500]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2013-0036]


2013 Temporary Closure of I-65 (I-70/I-65 South Split 
Interchange) in the City of Indianapolis

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Final Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FHWA has approved a request from the Indiana Department of 
Transportation (INDOT) to temporarily close a 2-mile portion of I-65 in 
Indiana (from I-70/I-65 south split interchange to I-70/I-65 north 
split interchange) for a period of 93 days, from Wednesday, August 21, 
to Thursday, November 21, 2013. The closure is requested to accommodate 
the reconstruction of the Virginia Avenue Bridge, which consists of 
replacing the northbound and southbound bridge girders and lowering the 
pavement section from south of Morris Street to north of Fletcher 
Avenue.
    The approval is granted in accordance with the provisions of 23 CFR 
658.11 which authorizes the deletion of segments of the federally 
designated routes that make up the National Network designated in 
Appendix A of 23 CFR Part 658. The FHWA published a Notice and Request 
for Comment on July 1, 2013, seeking comments from the general public 
on this request submitted by the INDOT for a deletion in accordance 
with 23 CFR 658.11(d). No comments were received.

DATES: Effective Date: This Notice is effective immediately.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Crystal Jones, Office of Freight 
Management and Operations, Office of Operations, (202) 366-2976, Mr. 
Bill Winne, Office of the Chief Counsel, (202) 366-0791, Federal 
Highway Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 
20590, and Mr. Richard Marquis, FHWA Division Administrator-Indiana 
Division, (317) 226-7483. Office hours for the FHWA are from 8:00 a.m. 
to 4:30 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Electronic Access and Filing

    You may retrieve a copy of the Notice and Request for Comment, 
comments submitted to the docket, and a copy of this final notice 
through the Federal eRulemaking portal at: http://www.regulations.gov. 
The Web site is available 24 hours each day, every day of the year. 
Electronic submission and retrieval help and guidelines are available 
under the help section of the Web site.
    An electronic copy of this document may also be downloaded from 
Office of the Federal Register's home page at: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register and the Government Printing Office's Web page at: 
http://www.gpoaccess.gov.

Background

    The INDOT submitted a request to the FHWA for approval of the 
temporary closure of a segment of I-65, from the I-70/I-65 south split 
interchange to the I-70/I-65 north split interchange, for a period of 
93 days, from the period beginning Wednesday, August 21, through 
Thursday, November 21. This closure will be undertaken in support of 
the reconstruction of the Virginia Avenue Bridge, which consists of 
replacing the northbound and southbound bridge girders and lowering the 
pavement section from south of Morris Street to north of Fletcher 
Avenue.
    The FHWA is responsible for enforcing the Federal regulations 
applicable to the National Network of highways that can safely and 
efficiently accommodate the large vehicles authorized by provisions of 
the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, as amended, 
designated in accordance with 23 CFR Part 658 and listed in Appendix A. 
In accordance with 23 CFR 658.11, the FHWA may approve deletions or 
restrictions of the Interstate system or other National Network route 
based upon specified justification criteria in section 658.11(d)(2). 
Requests for deletions are published in the Federal Register for notice 
and comment.

Notice and Request for Comment

    The FHWA published a Notice and Request for Comment on July 1, 
seeking comments from the general public on this request submitted by 
the INDOT for a deletion in accordance with 23 CFR 658.11(d). The 
comment period closed on July 31. No comments were received.
    The FHWA sought comments on this request for temporary deletion 
from the National Network in accordance with 23 CFR 658.11(d). 
Specifically, the request is for approval of the temporary closure

[[Page 52233]]

of I-65 (from I-70/I-65 south split interchange to I-70/I-65 north 
split interchange) from the period beginning Wednesday August 21, 
through Thursday, August 21. This closure will be undertaken to 
accommodate the reconstruction on the Virginia Avenue Bridge, which 
consists of replacing the northbound and southbound bridge girders and 
lowering the pavement section from south of Morris Street to north of 
Fletcher Avenue. Along its length, I-65 through Indianapolis, Indiana, 
passes under several bridges, many with limited vertical clearance. The 
bridges at Virginia Avenue, Fletcher Avenue, Calvary Street, and Morris 
Street have vertical clearances ranging from 13' 11'', to 14' 6''. This 
project will increase vertical clearances to a minimum 14' 9'' at each 
of these locations. For the duration of the requested temporary 
closure, eastbound and westbound I-70 traffic will be detoured to I-
465, around the south side of Indianapolis. Northbound and southbound 
I-65 traffic will be detoured to I-465. The INDOT states that the 
temporary closure of this segment of I-65 to general traffic should 
have negligible impact to interstate commerce. Commercial motor 
vehicles of the dimensions and configurations described in 23 CFR 
658.13 and 658.15 serving the impacted area may use the alternate 
routes listed above. Vehicles servicing the businesses bordering the 
impacted area will still be able to do so by also using the alternative 
routes noted above to circulate around the restricted area. In 
addition, vehicles not serving businesses in the restricted area but, 
currently using I-65 and the local street system to reach their 
ultimate destinations, will be able to use I-465 to access the 
alternative routes. A map depicting the alternative routes is available 
electronically at the docket established for this notice at http://www.regulations.gov. The INDOT has reviewed these alternative routes 
and determined the routes to generally be capable of safely 
accommodating the diverted traffic during the period of temporary 
closure. The INDOT will increase the Hoosier Helper workforce (freeway 
service patrols) along I-465 to address incident response and minimize 
any incident impacts. The INDOT will issue a press release to inform 
the community of the closure and will post the closure in Road 
Restriction System. The INDOT traveler information Web site Traffic 
Wise will be utilized, as well as the 511 phone system. The INDOT will 
issue a formal press release upon notification that the request for 
closure has been approved. The INDOT has reached out to Federal, State, 
and local agencies to ensure a collaborative and coordinated effort to 
address the logistical challenges of reconstructing this section of I-
65. The INDOT has notified the Indiana Motor Trucking Association of 
this plan to temporarily close I-65, and has agreed to work with them 
to provide information targeted at the trucking industry. This request 
to close I-65 to general traffic on or around August 21, 2013, was 
prepared for the INDOT in accordance with the Indianapolis Metropolitan 
Planning Organization's Transportation Plan. The INDOT's proposal has 
been approved by the city of Indianapolis Department of Public Works 
and INDOT will coordinate the closure with the Indianapolis 
Metropolitan Police Department.
    The FHWA did not receive any comments in response to the Notice and 
Request for Comment. After full consideration of the INDOT request 
discussed in this final notice and determining that the request meets 
the requirements of 23 CFR 658.11(d), FHWA approves the deletion as 
proposed.

    Authority:  23 U.S.C. 127, 315 and 49 U.S.C. 31111, 31112, and 
31114; 23 CFR part 658.

    Issued on: August 14, 2013.
Victor M. Mendez,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2013-20500 Filed 8-21-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P