New I-69 assists Indiana State Police in storm response - 14 News, WFIE, Evansville, Henderson, Owensboro

It isn't completed yet, but the Interstate 69 extension is already assisting emergency response in southwest Indiana.

Indiana State Police troopers responding to Oakland City in the immediate aftermath of the recent severe storms encountered trees and debris blocking State Road 57 in several locations between S.R. 168 and S.R. 64. The I-69 extension is being built to the same standards as other rural interstates in Indiana, including a clear zone along the outside shoulders where there are no roadside hazards such as trees that could also fall onto the highway.

The I-69 project team has been holding on-site meetings with ISP staff to help them prepare for the opening of 65 new miles of interstate by the end of this year. As a result of these meetings, the second wave of troopers to come north was familiar enough to make the risky trek through the active I-69 work zone.

Over a 20-year period, I-69 is expected to prevent nearly 40,000 serious injuries and provide an additional 37,000 Hoosiers with 30-minute access to major medical facilities. Interstate highways are also built at higher elevations and more likely to remain open during flooding.

Sixty-five miles of I-69 between Evansville and the Crane Naval Warfare Center are anticipated to open by the end of this year. Until then, the new interstate is an active work zone and closed to motorists.

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