FAQs

The Clear Path 465 project is located on the northeast side of Indianapolis in Marion County. The project includes added travel lanes on I-465 from White River (just west of Allisonville Road) to Fall Creek (just north of 56th Street). Portions of I-69 will be reconstructed between I-465 and 82nd Street, and the I-465/I-69 interchange will be reconfigured to provide direct movements to I-69 from eastbound I-465 and northbound I-465.

The Clear Path 465 project includes:

  • Reconstruction of I-465 and I-69 to include added lanes
  • Reconstruction of the I-465/I-69 interchange and additional lanes on two interchange ramps, including a new direct-connect ramp from eastbound I-465 to northbound I-69
  • Reconstruction of the I-69/82nd Street interchange
  • Separation of I-69 traffic from local traffic entering and exiting at 82nd Street and Binford Boulevard by using concrete barrier, dedicated ramps and collector-distributor lanes
  • Addition of auxiliary lanes between interchanges for entering and exiting traffic
  • Modifications to the ramps at Allisonville Road to connect with additional I-465 lanes
  • Reconstruction and added lanes on Binford Boulevard from south of 75th Street to I-465
  • Construction of 14 new bridges
  • Rehabilitation and widening of two bridges
  • Preventive maintenance work on the Allisonville Road bridge over I-465
  • Maintenance work on the approaches to the I-465 bridges over the White River
  • Reconstruction of E. 71st Street near I-465
  • Reconstruction of the south end of Castleton Road
  • Noise barrier installation in several locations throughout the project limits

The project will improve safety and traffic operations by increasing capacity. The need for the Clear Path 465 project stems from insufficient capacity that causes backups during the peak hours and safety concerns due to a high volume of crashes within the project area.

Construction began in early 2022 and the improvements are expected to open to traffic by the end of 2025.

The project is broken into two construction contracts. The first contract is rebuilding and adding travel lanes to 4.5 miles of I-465 on either end of the I-69 interchange between the White River (just west of Allisonville Road) and Fall Creek (just north of 56th Street). Work includes ramp modifications at Allisonville Road, maintenance on the Allisonville Road bridge over I-465, work on the I-465 bridges over the White River and widening and rehabilitation of the I-465 bridges over East 71st Street. East 71st Street and Castleton Road will be reconstructed and several noise barriers installed.

The second construction contract will complete work on I-465 inside the I-465/I-69 interchange and construction on I-69 and the collector-distributor roads from I-465 to 86th Street. It includes reconstruction of the two I-69 interchanges at I-465 and 82nd Street, 14 new bridges, construction on Binford Boulevard and the installation of several noise barriers. Construction on this contract is expected to begin in 2023.

The estimated $471 million project is being funded with a combination of state and federal transportation funds, including a $70 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant awarded in 2021.

Improvements will include added lanes, reconfigured interchanges and the separation of interstate and local traffic through the I-465/I-69 interchange to improve traffic flow, safety and efficiency.

  • A new two-lane ramp will provide a direct connection from eastbound I-465 to northbound I-69 and there will be a separate ramp for eastbound I-465 traffic exiting onto 82nd Street.
  • Southbound I-69 traffic heading to 82nd Street or Binford Boulevard will exit on the right side before 82nd Street onto a collector-distributor road providing local access.
  • Northbound Binford Boulevard traffic will split – the left two lanes will provide direct access to northbound I-69 and the right lane will provide access to westbound I-465 and 82nd Street.

I-465 will have four mainline through lanes in each direction from the White River to Fall Creek. There will also be auxiliary lanes between interchanges for traffic entering and exiting the interstate.

The project will be built in multiple phases to keep I-465 and I-69 open to traffic, including ramps connecting the two interstates. More detailed information will be available from the Project Team after each construction contracts is awarded and as construction progresses.

The Project Team plans to maintain the existing number of I-465 lanes during the day by shifting traffic – with one exception. The right lane of eastbound I-465 through the I-465/I-69 interchange will be converted to an exit-only lane to I-69 northbound. During some traffic phases, the left lane of northbound/westbound I-465 will cross over the median and be an express lane for cars only with no access to exits in the work zone.

To keep traffic moving safely through the I-465 work zone, three multi-year ramp closures will be needed starting in mid-2022:

  1. Allisonville Road on-ramp to eastbound I-465
  2. Northbound Binford Boulevard on-ramp (loop ramp) to westbound I-465
  3. Shadeland Avenue/56th Street on-ramp to northbound I-465

Short-term night and/or weekend ramp closures will be needed when traffic is shifted into new construction phases. The southbound I-69 ramp to I-465 westbound will also be shifted to a temporary ramp during much of construction.

East 71st Street is a long-term closure needed to lower the road and provide more clearance for local traffic underneath the I-465 bridge. It’s expected to be closed through late 2024.

The Clear Path 465 Project Team will post updates via the project website and social media. Follow Clear Path 465 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Visit the project website, clearpath465.com, and subscribe to email alerts. Text “INDOT Clear Path” to 468311 for text message alerts.

To connect with the Clear Path 465 Project Team, reference the Clear Path 465 project when visiting www.indot4u.com, calling INDOT at 855-INDOT4U (855-463-6848) or emailing INDOT@indot.in.gov.

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is the owner of the project and Parsons is the lead design firm. Construction contractors will be selected through a competitive bidding process.

INDOT is coordinating traffic plans with its construction contractors and local governments to ensure continued mobility and accessibility in the region.

The Clear Path 465 project team performed a traffic noise impact analysis during project development. Under INDOT’s Noise Policy, seven noise barrier sections in the project area were identified as reasonable and feasible and will be built or relocated:

  • 800 feet along I-69 northbound past 82nd Street
  • 350 feet along I-69 northbound past I-465
  • 1,230 feet along the I-465 northbound ramp to I-69 northbound
  • 2,000 feet along I-465 westbound past Allisonville Road
  • 5,230 feet along I-465 eastbound between 82nd Street and I-69
  • 5,500 feet along I-465 southbound past 75th Street
  • 4,900 feet along I-465 northbound near 65th and 71st streets

Noise barriers are typically built during the later stages of construction, after earth moving is completed for the widened interstate and new ditches. The new noise barriers are expected to closely match the light gray ashlar stone pattern already in use on the north and northeast sides of Indianapolis. View color and texture examples in the Noise Barriers album on the Photos & Videos webpage.

The 71st Street Trail will close for up to one year during 2022 for I-465 bridge construction. The new I-465/I-69 interchange will accommodate the proposed Nickel Plate Trail through the area.

More than 100,000 vehicle trips pass through the I-465 and I-69 interchange on an average day.

The work along I-465 will be completed within existing right of way. Just over 14 acres of new land is being purchased for the project, most of which is along the west side of I-69 between I-465 and 86th Street. The project required the relocation of four businesses and demolition of seven buildings.

An Environmental Assessment for the project was completed and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was approved on January 15, 2021. A total of 1.84 linear miles of impacts are expected across the 16 streams in the project area. Just over six acres of wetlands and nearly 20.5 acres of trees are expected to be impacted. The Indiana Stream and Wetland Mitigation Program will be used to mitigate impacts.