Temporary Closure of I-65 (I-70/I-65 South Split Interchange to I-70/I-65 North Split Interchange) in the City of Indianapolis |
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Topics: Interstate Highway System
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Victor M. Mendez
Federal Highway Administration
July 1, 2013
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 126 (Monday, July 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39436-39437]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-15655]
[[Page 39436]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
[Docket No. FHWA-2013-0036]
Temporary Closure of I-65 (I-70/I-65 South Split Interchange to
I-70/I-65 North Split Interchange) in the City of Indianapolis
AGENCIES: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice and Request for Comment.
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SUMMARY: The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has requested
FHWA approval of INDOT's proposed plan to 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, 2013, to Thursday, November 21, 2013. The closure is
requested 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. The request is based on the
provisions in 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 upon approval by the FHWA.
The FHWA seeks comments from the general public on this request
submitted by INDOT for a deletion in accordance with 23 CFR 658.11(d)
for the considerations discussed in this notice.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before 30 days after date of
publication in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: The letter of request along with justifications can be
viewed electronically at the docket established for this notice at
http://www.regulations.gov. Hard copies of the documents will also be
available for viewing at the DOT address listed below.
Mail or hand deliver comments to the U.S. Department of
Transportation, Dockets Management Facility, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, or fax comments to (202) 493-
2251. Alternatively, comments may be submitted via the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov (follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments). All comments should include the
docket number that appears in the heading of this document. All
comments received will be available for examination and copying at the
above address from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays. Those desiring notification of receipt of
comments must include a self-addressed, stamped postcard or you may
print the acknowledgment page that appears after submitting comments
electronically. All comments received into any docket may be searched
in electronic format by the name of the individual submitting the
comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an
association, business, labor union, etc.). Persons making comments may
review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register
published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70, Pages 19477-78), or
you may view the statement at http://www.regulations.gov .
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 submit or retrieve comments online through the Federal
eRulemaking portal at: http://www.regulations.gov. The Web site is
available 24 hours each 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 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 routes
based upon specified justification criteria in 23 CFR 658.11(d)(2).
These deletions are then published in the Federal Register for notice
and comment.
The INDOT has submitted a request to 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, 2013, through
Thursday, November 21, 2013. The incoming request and supporting
documents, including maps, may be viewed electronically at the docket
established for this notice at http://www.regulations.gov.
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
[[Page 39437]]
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 Illinois
Department of Transportation and the Ohio Department of Transportation
will be informed of this proposal. Additionally, efforts have been made
to work with the various transit systems as well as the American
Trucking Association. 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 seeks comments on this request for temporary deletion from
the National Network for considerations in accordance with 23 CFR
658.11(d).
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 127 and 315; 49 U.S.C. 31111, 31112, and
31114; 23 CFR Part 658.
Issued on: June 20, 2013.
Victor M. Mendez,
Federal Highway Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2013-15655 Filed 6-28-13; 8:45 am]
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