It’s been decades in the making, but the Interstate 69 extension between Evansville and Indianapolis is complete, opening to traffic on Aug. 6.
Former Mayor and Evansville Regional Economic Partnership CEO Lloyd Winnecke attended the ribbon cutting. He described it as “a phenomenal experience … to know that the work of so many people – over decades – culminated in that ribbon cutting was a very gratifying moment that I will always cherish.”
Dubbed “The Hoosier Link to the World,” the Indiana Department of Transportation predicts the project will generate a $4.1 billion economic impact over the next 20 years. Construction of the interstate — part of a larger network of roads from Mexico to Canada — started in 2019 in Martinsville, Indiana, and cost $2 billion.
When Evansville Business profiled the coming changes in the August/September 2018 issue, construction in Martinsville was on the horizon, with many eying the benefits of a northbound connection, including reduced travel time, prevention of accidents, and a tourism boost. Indiana Department of Transportation also lauded the access to jobs, education, and health care that the project will bring. Winnecke noted the benefits for business supply chains as well.
Mere weeks after cutting the ribbon on the I-69 extension, officials were breaking ground in Evansville for work leading up to the future I-69 Ohio River Crossing, which will replace the southbound Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Twin Bridges between Evansville and Henderson, Kentucky. Bridge construction is slated to begin in 2027 and finish by 2031.
“Once the bridge is complete, that will be the true completion of I-69 for this region,” Winnecke says.
