Stretch of I-65 in Indiana to reopen by mid-December

Indiana Department of Transportation spokesman Joshua Bingham says the highway between I-80/94 and the Indiana Toll Road will reopen in early or mid-December.

The Associated Press

11/19/2008

GARY, Ind. — Construction crews are only a few weeks away from reopening a 1.5 mile stretch of Interstate 65 in northwestern Indiana that’s been closed since February for reconstruction.

Indiana Department of Transportation spokesman Joshua Bingham says the highway between I-80/94 and the Indiana Toll Road will reopen in early or mid-December.

Gary officials say they’ll be happy to have the roadway reopened. Gary Chamber of Commerce executive director Charles Hughes says small businesses across the city have felt the effects of the closure.

But state highway officials warn this isn’t the end of highway construction in northwestern Indiana. INDOT is taking bids on another I-80/94 construction project that will run through 2010.

Kevin Jones of The Trucker staff can be reached for comment at kevinj@thetrucker.com.