Motorists using I-80/94 may soon be allowed to drive on the shoulder to avoid traffic congestion. The Indiana Department of Transportation says a project to improve the highway's traffic flow is now moving into its next phase.
I-80/94 is Indiana's busiest interstate corridor, with more than 200,000 vehicles crossing the state line on an average day. But a recently-completed planning and environment linkages study found that the highway sees a lot of traffic congestion and crashes.
The study doesn't look at adding lanes to the highway itself. Instead, drivers could be allowed to use the left shoulder when traffic backs up and the right shoulder during emergencies. The only place where a new lane is proposed is the ramp to southbound I-65, as part of a reconfigured interchange that would give the two right eastbound lanes direct access to the exit.
Other options include a ramp metering system — where only one vehicle would be allowed to enter at a time during peak periods — and signs that could change the speed limit and close individual lanes depending on crashes and road conditions. But other proposed improvements deal with policy — like how to respond to accidents and share real-time traffic data among various agencies.
Options like congestion pricing and high-occupancy toll lanes were largely ruled out by a 2018 state study. Public transit isn't considered a viable option, either, since there's no major destination at either end of the corridor.
There are also environmental justice concerns, due to the percentages of minority and low-income residents in the I-80/94 corridor. It already exceeds Clean Air Act requirements for ozone.
Now, the project moves into the National Environmental Policy Act phase, where each recommended alternative will be analyzed. They range in cost from $82 million to $139 million. The next public meeting is expected to be held this fall.
