Interstate 74 in Indiana

Interstate 74 marker
Interstate 74
Map
I-74 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by INDOT
Length171.54 mi[1] (276.07 km)
Existed1960[2]–present
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
West end I-74 at Illinois state line
Major intersections
East end I-74 / US 52 at Ohio state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateIndiana
CountiesVermillion, Fountain, Montgomery, Boone, Hendricks, Marion, Shelby, Rush, Decatur, Franklin, Ripley, Dearborn
Highway system
  • Indiana State Highway System
SR 71 SR 75

Interstate 74 (I-74) in the US state of Indiana traverses central parts of the state from west to east. It connects Champaign, Illinois, with Indianapolis in the center of the state, and Indianapolis with Cincinnati, Ohio. I-74 covers 171.54 miles (276.07 km) across Indiana, a portion of which is concurrently routed through Indianapolis along the southern and western legs of I-465.

Route description

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I-74 crosses the Indiana–Illinois state line between Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois, and Highland Township, Vermillion County, Indiana. The Interstate retains its configuration as a four-lane freeway, and passes by an eastbound rest area just east of the state line. I-74 continues to head due east through a mix of rural woodland and farmland before it reaches a modified diamond interchange with State Road 63 (SR 63), which provides access to both the town of Newport, the county seat of Vermillion County, and the city of Terre Haute, the county seat of neighboring Vigo County, to the south.

East of SR 63, the freeway descends slightly to cross the Wabash River, where it leaves Vermillion County and crosses into Troy Township, Fountain County. I-74 ascends from river crossing and comes to a diamond interchange with South Stringtown Road, which provides access to the city of Covington to the north. I-74 continues east, passing over U.S. Highway 136 (US 136) and intersecting US 41 at Veedersburg about 15 miles (24 km) east of the Illinois border. The Interstate intersects US 231 19 miles (31 km) later, providing access to Crawfordsville to the south. I-74 runs nearly parallel to US 136 from the Illinois border until US 136 terminates at I-465.

When I-74 reaches Indianapolis, it continues south, running concurrently with I-465 on the latter's western and southern segments. (The exits of this concurrency are numbered as if it were part of I-465 only.) I-74 is also concurrent with I-69, US 31, US 36, US 40, US 52, and several state highways, for varying lengths of its route around Indianapolis. I-74 crosses the White River and passes by the Indianapolis International Airport on the southwest side of Indianapolis. Once I-74 reaches the southeast side of Indianapolis, it diverges from I-69 and I-465 and continues to the southeast. At this interchange, I-74 picks up US 421, with which it will run concurrently.

Outside of the Indianapolis area, I-74 continues southeast and runs past Shelbyville. Near the halfway point between Indianapolis and the Ohio border, I-74 runs through Greensburg. US 421 diverges and runs south through Greensburg. Continuing on east, I-74 runs parallel to SR 46. Just west of the Ohio border, I-74 crosses the Whitewater River. It also intersects with and begins a concurrency with US 52. The two roads then cross into Ohio at Harrison.

History

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Initial construction

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Like all Interstate Highways in Indiana, I-74 was constructed in segments. There were six segments in the western portion of the route between the Illinois state line and I-465 in Speedway, and six more in the eastern portion connecting I-465 near Beech Grove to the Ohio state line. The concurrent portions around Indianapolis on I-465, consisting of seven separate sections along the west and south legs of that beltway, became operational between December 21, 1961, and October 15, 1964. The eastern segments connecting Indianapolis and Cincinnati were also given a relatively high priority and were all completed and open by October 30, 1964.[3]

The first section of I-74 to be built in Indiana was the portion from the Illinois state line east for just under eight miles (13 km) to the Covington exit just beyond the Wabash River, which opened to traffic in December 1960. The final 13.5-mile (21.7 km) segment, located in Fountain and Montgomery counties on the western portion of the route, was finished and opened on August 31, 1967, marking the full completion of I-74 in the state.[3]

Exit list

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CountyLocationmi[4]kmExitDestinationsNotes
IndianaIllinois line0.000.00
I-74 west – Peoria
Continuation into Illinois
220Lynch RoadEastbound entrance extends into Indiana; exit number follows Illinois mileage
VermillionHighland Township4.236.814 SR 63 – Newport, Terre Haute, Chicago
FountainCovington8.0112.898Stringtown Road – Covington
Veedersburg15.4524.8615 US 41 – Veedersburg, Attica, Chicago
MontgomeryWayne Township24.8840.0425 SR 25 – Waynetown, Wingate
Crawfordsville33.8154.4134 US 231 – Linden, Crawfordsville
39.2763.2039 SR 32 – Lebanon, Crawfordsville
BooneJamestown51.9583.6152 SR 75 – Jamestown, Advance
HendricksLizton57.5492.6058 SR 39 – Lizton, Lebanon
Middle Township61.2198.5161Jeff Gordon Boulevard  – Pittsboro
Brownsburg65.82105.9366
SR 267 north (Green Street) – Brownsburg
68.78110.6968Ronald Reagan Parkway – Brownsburg, Clermont
MarionIndianapolis73.19117.7973

I-465 north / US 136 west (Crawfordsville Road)
West end of I-465 overlap; signed as I-465 north only westbound; I-465 exit 16B
16A
US 136 west (Crawfordsville Road)
Exit numbers follow I-465; no exit number eastbound
75.01120.721410th Street
76.05122.3913
US 36 west (Rockville Road)
West end of US 36 overlap
77.19124.2312
US 40 west (Washington Street)
West end of US 40 overlap
78.49126.3211Sam Jones Expressway
79.64128.179 I-70 – Indianapolis, Terre Haute, Indianapolis International Airport, St. LouisSigned as exits 9A (east) and 9B (west) eastbound
80.45129.478
SR 67 south (Kentucky Avenue)
West end of SR 67 overlap
81.63131.377Mann RoadWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
5
I-69 south – Evansville
Interchange opened on August 6 and 9, 2024,[5] west end of I-69 overlap; I-69 Exit 163
84.66136.254Harding Street
86.76139.632
US 31 south / East Street
West end of US 31 overlap; signed as exit 2A (north) and 2B (south)
88.96143.1753 I-65 – Indianapolis, LouisvilleSigned as exit 53A (north) and 53B (south)
90.35145.4052Emerson Avenue
93.42150.3449
94


I-69 north / I-465 north / US 31 north / US 36 east / US 40 east / US 421 north / SR 67 north
Southeastern Avenue
East end of I-465/I-69/US 31/US 36/US 40/SR 67 overlaps; west end of US 421 overlap; I-465 exit 49
Wanamaker95.83154.2296Post Road
Acton98.95159.2499Acton Road
ShelbyMoral Township100.94162.45101Pleasant View Road
Sugar Creek102.58165.09103London Road
Fairland109.32175.93109Fairland Road
Shelbyville112.74181.44113 SR 9 – Shelbyville, Greenfield
115.45185.80116 SR 44 – Rushville, Shelbyville
Liberty Township118.48190.68119 SR 244 – Andersonville, Milroy
ShelbyDecatur
Rush county tripoint
LibertyAdams
Orange township tripoint
123.11198.13123St. Paul, Middletown
DecaturGreensburg131.86212.21132
US 421 south – Greensburg
East end of US 421 overlap
133.96215.59134 SR 3 – Greensburg, RushvilleSigned as exits 134A (south) and 134B (north)
New Point143.00230.14143St. Maurice, New Point
FranklinRipley
county line
Batesville149.02239.82149
SR 229 to SR 129 – Oldenburg, Batesville
RipleyAdams Township155.65250.49156
SR 101 south / St. Mary Road – Sunman, Milan
DearbornSaint Leon163.45263.05164 SR 1 – Saint Leon, Lawrenceburg
Harrison Township168.89271.80169

US 52 west to SR 46 – Brookville, West Harrison
West end of US 52 overlap
171.54276.07

I-74 east / US 52 east – Cincinnati
Ohio state line
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

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  1. ^ Starks, Edward (January 27, 2022). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways". FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  2. ^ "Facts & Photos". Indiana Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Ripple, David Alan. "History of the Interstate System in Indiana", Purdue University, 1975.
  4. ^ "INDOT Roadway Referencing System" (PDF). Indiana Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 15, 2011. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
  5. ^ "I-69/I-465 System Interchange". I-69 Finish Line. Indiana Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
[edit]
KML is from Wikidata


Interstate 74
Previous state:
Illinois
Indiana Next state:
Ohio