New Lane Restrictions Coming to Busy Southern Indiana Intersection

The Indiana Department of Transportation is getting ready to set up new lane restrictions in a busy Warrick County intersection that will no doubt create a headache for the thousands of drivers who pass through it on their daily commute.

New Lane Restrictions Coming to Highway 66 and Epworth Road

Highway 66 (a.k.a. The Lloyd Expressway) is the easiest, and usually quickest, way to get from Evansville to Newburgh or vice-versa. However, since construction at the intersection of Epworth Road started earlier this year, getting through that intersection has been — difficult, to put it mildly. The lights at that intersection seem to only let about five cars go through before they change back to red, and the current restrictions have eliminated one of the three lanes usually available. Plus, the two lanes you can drive in have been narrowed to give workers space to do what they need to do. As someone who lives in Newburgh and spends quite of bit of time in Evansville for work or to grab dinner, do some shopping, etc., I try to avoid the intersection at all costs and usually take Lincoln Avenue to get between the two.

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The purpose of the construction is to install a Displaced Left Turn Lane, more of which are planned along The Lloyd, including just down the road at the intersection with Burkhardt Road. Once completed, the new turn lanes are designed to improve traffic flow in high-traffic intersections. Here's how they work:

According to INDOT, phase two of the project is scheduled to begin "on or around Tuesday, November 14." The phase will include restricting both the eastbound and westbound traffic on Highway 66 to two lanes in both directions and reducing both to 10 feet wide.

Additionally, left turns from westbound Highway 66 to southbound Epworth Road will not be allowed. Only emergency vehicles needing to get onto the Deaconess Gateway campus will be permitted to do so. An extra right turn lane will also be added to eastbound Highway 66 (heading toward Newburgh) onto southbound Epworth Road.

Due to the tighter lane widths, vehicles with wide loads will have to detour around the intersection. Signs will be placed well in advance of the intersection instructing those vehicles to take I-69 to State Road 62 to State Road 261.

If all goes according to plan, the project is expected to be done sometime in May 2024.

[Source: Indiana Department of Transportation]