Construction activity continues to ramp up on Indiana’s Revive I-70 project, a multi-year effort aimed at improving safety, traffic flow and long-term performance along one of the state’s most heavily traveled interstate corridors. The work stretches from west of Cambridge City in Wayne County to the Ohio state line and represents one of the most significant interstate upgrades in eastern Indiana.
Crews are currently focused on Contract 1, which covers the easternmost segment of the corridor and carries a price tag of nearly $378 million. When fully completed, the Revive I-70 initiative is expected to reduce congestion, improve mobility for both passenger vehicles and freight traffic, and extend the service life of the roadway well into the future.
"Work is needed along the corridor to replace, rehabilitate and widen pavement to upgrade this critical interstate connection," said Danny Corbin, Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) project manager. "Truck traffic along this stretch of I-70 tops 50 percent. Improvements made through the Revive I-70 project will support the safer and more efficient movement of both people and goods in the region, and it will open the door to new opportunities for decades to come."
Given the length and complexity of the corridor, INDOT divided Revive I-70 into three major contracts. Contract 1 extends from west of U.S. 35 to the Ohio state line and includes added travel lanes in both directions, full pavement replacement, interchange modifications and extensive bridge improvements. Construction on this segment began in spring 2025 and remains on schedule for completion in 2029.
Contract 2 runs from west of S.R. 1 to west of Centerville and will focus on pavement rehabilitation and bridge improvements. Preconstruction activities are already under way, with full construction slated to begin in spring 2026. Contract 3, which spans from west of Centerville to U.S. 35, is still in development, with specific improvements to be finalized.
The Contract 1 design-build joint venture includes Walsh Construction Co., Crider & Crider and Rieth-Riley.
"Walsh, Rieth-Riley and Crider & Crider have worked on major sections of the Indiana I-69 and I-70 corridors in recent years," said Corbin. "Walsh constructed Section 6 of I-69 in Martinsville and was the prime contractor for a six-mile stretch of I-70 in Indianapolis. Rieth-Riley and Crider & Crider completed construction along a 17-mile section of I-69 between Martinsville and Indianapolis in 2024."
According to Fielding Tipton, INDOT construction project manager, one of the most visible components of Contract 1 is the addition of a new travel lane in both directions of I-70 between U.S. 35 and the Ohio state line.
"An added lane will reduce congestion, especially with a high number of trucks using the corridor. Other improvements include pavement replacement and rehabilitation, interchange improvements, bridge improvements and updates to existing lighting, signage and guardrail/barrier systems."
Significant upgrades also are under way at the U.S. 40 and U.S. 35 interchanges, where existing partial cloverleaf designs are being replaced with diamond interchanges featuring single-lane roundabouts. These changes are intended to improve traffic flow and reduce conflict points, while median barriers will help prevent crossover crashes.
Maintaining traffic flow during construction remains a top priority.
"For the duration of the project, I-70 will remain open to two lanes of traffic in each direction most of the time. Lane restrictions will be limited to overnight hours. Short-term ramp and road closures will occur as necessary. Access for all residences and businesses is being maintained."
"A long-term ramp closure from southbound U.S. 35 to eastbound I-70 began in spring 2025 and is in place through summer 2026," said Tipton. "Closing this ramp provides safer conditions for both crews and motorists with construction under way and traffic shifted to narrower lanes."
Contract 1 includes work on 21 bridges, ranging from full replacements to deck overlays, widenings and repainting. The scope of materials is extensive, with crews handling hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of earthwork and large quantities of asphalt, concrete and structural steel.
Crews are moving approximately 591,000 cu. yds. of dirt while filling the existing grass median, adjusting roadway profiles and reconstructing pavement sections. Existing pavement is being milled or rubblized before new pavement is placed.
Equipment on site includes Cat 325, 336 and 349 excavators; Cat D2 through D6 dozers; Cat 140M motor graders; Liebherr LR 1160 and Link-Belt 218 crawler cranes; and a Cat AP1055F track paver with an integral DX spray paver attachment. Asphalt compaction is being handled by Cat CB13 and CB2.7 tandem vibratory rollers and a Cat CW 34 pneumatic roller.
"Once Contract 1 construction is complete, it will provide drivers with a much smoother commute, Tipton said. "Longstanding issues with pavement conditions along this portion of the corridor will be addressed. Increased capacity will help to reduce traffic congestion and increase traffic flow for drivers and commercial vehicles who will more easily share the roadway. The reconstructed U.S. 40 and U.S. 35 interchanges will significantly improve safety and mobility."
For Corbin, the project carries statewide significance.
"Indiana is the crossroads of America, and I-70 is the heart of those crossroads," he said. "We want to keep our facilities in good repair to continue to serve the traveling public now, and for future generations."
Toby Randolph, project manager of lead development and design firm Parsons Corp., noted the long planning effort behind the project.
"Parsons started working on the environmental phase of this project in late 2022, and the conversations surrounding the need for improvements to the busy corridor started years before that. It's very fulfilling to see construction under way and the progress being made daily."
Erik Gardin, Walsh Construction maintenance of traffic manager, added, "There are a lot of drivers and a lot of commerce that move through this busy I-70 corridor, including drivers heading west to Indianapolis or east to Ohio. When work is complete and open to traffic, it's the most rewarding thing you can imagine."
Originally reported by Cindy Riley – CEG Correspondent in Construction Equipment Guide.
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