General I-465 commute question

[10Forward]

All,
Soon, I have to be at the Pyramids on the NW side at 0800 on a weekday, for a professional exam.
If I want to get there @0730, 0740 or so, what time should I leave Greenfield? I've never really had to do the 465 thing during rush hour, so looking for some advice from those of you that do. I was guessing 0600...?
Much appreciated!

 

[Redtbird]

One thought: You might consider getting a motel room near the place where you have to go, and check in the night before. Then you would have just a short drive on the morning of your appointment.

 

[PistolBob]

All,
Soon, I have to be at the Pyramids on the NW side at 0800 on a weekday, for a professional exam.
If I want to get there @0730, 0740 or so, what time should I leave Greenfield? I've never really had to do the 465 thing during rush hour, so looking for some advice from those of you that do. I was guessing 0600...?
Much appreciated!

Assuming you'll be inbound on 70 and not 40...westbound 70 to 465 north is always a cluster but it's doable. Turn on WIBC 93.1 and pay attention to the traffice report. You can leave at 6:30AM and be OK....the traffic stranglehold usually builds up around 7AM.

Plan an alternate route...If 465 is hosed between I69 and Michigan Road, as it is sometimes due to wrecks....you can taek 69 north to 82nd street and go west on 82nd all the way to Michigan road...go north on Michigan and you're at the Pyramids.

 

[88GT]

6ish should be more than plenty. But for every 5 minutes you delay your start time, you'll add 10 minutes to the drive time due to the traffic that accumulates in that time period. More than likely your will have time to spare, but since it is an area prone to stopped traffic due to congestion, better to be safe than sorry. And if there's a crash or other incident that snarls traffic even worse.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

In my experience from some years back, 465 clockwise in the NE was a parking lot in the afternoon, so it would stand to reason 465 anticlockwise would be in the morning. It's wider now, but I don't know how much it helps. Much of that comes from 69S, though, so if you can go 69N to 82nd, it should be smooth. Bear in mind that 82nd turns into 86th between Allisonville and Dean, and there are a good few stoplights on the way to Michigan Rd. All the way from Greenfield, if you give it an hour, you should have plenty of time.

 

[Tripp11]

I would leave Greenfield around 6:00 a.m., and pack a light breakfast to bring with you and your study materials (taking a professional exam of some sort).

When you get to your desired location between 6:50 - 7:15 a.m., you can eat your light breakfast and review your notes before heading in to take your exam.

My rule when I MUST be somewhere at a certain time, is it's better to be way early than late. And if you're taking an exam, late isn't an option.

 

[Moparracer89]

Better to be an hour early than ten minutes late. Leave at 0600

 

[88GT]

In my experience from some years back, 465 clockwise in the NE was a parking lot in the afternoon, so it would stand to reason 465 anticlockwise would be in the morning. It's wider now, but I don't know how much it helps. Much of that comes from 69S, though, so if you can go 69N to 82nd, it should be smooth. Bear in mind that 82nd turns into 86th between Allisonville and Dean, and there are a good few stoplights on the way to Michigan Rd. All the way from Greenfield, if you give it an hour, you should have plenty of time.

If he's going to the Pyramids he needs to be taking 465 all the way to Michigan Road.

 

[Tactical Dave]

I used to work in that block, traffic can get rather hairy. If it was me coming from that far I would get a hotel.

You will hit traffic pretty much from the time you get near 69 all the way to Michigan rd.

 

[ReadnFool]

Although no one has mentioned it as a route, assuming you come in on I 70 you could take that all the way into the city then take 65 north to 465 then 465 north to Michigan road.

At the beginning of the morning I 70 should not be too bad yet, and as the traffic picks up you will be moving out of the city opposite most of the flow.

I would personally avoid 465 north of the city where 69 enters. Frequent traffic slowdowns.

Just check the radio or news stations for traffic updates and good luck.

 

[bobbittle]

Although no one has mentioned it as a route, assuming you come in on I 70 you could take that all the way into the city then take 65 north to 465 then 465 north to Michigan road.

At the beginning of the morning I 70 should not be too bad yet, and as the traffic picks up you will be moving out of the city opposite most of the flow.

I would personally avoid 465 north of the city where 69 enters. Frequent traffic slowdowns.

Just check the radio or news stations for traffic updates and good luck.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Now, 86th gets you there just fine. If 465 is going 15MPH, I'd bet it would be an advantage. I can't really comment on traffic density in either direction at any given time, though. There's even a sneaky way up from 86th before you get to Michigan Rd that takes you right to them.

 

[churchmouse]

Although no one has mentioned it as a route, assuming you come in on I 70 you could take that all the way into the city then take 65 north to 465 then 465 north to Michigan road.

At the beginning of the morning I 70 should not be too bad yet, and as the traffic picks up you will be moving out of the city opposite most of the flow.

I would personally avoid 465 north of the city where 69 enters. Frequent traffic slowdowns.

Just check the radio or news stations for traffic updates and good luck.

This is a better option as it takes you away from the I-69 corridor.
If you get onto 465 early enough it is not all that bad since the expansion.

 

[IndyBeerman]

This is a better option as it takes you away from the I-69 corridor.
If you get onto 465 early enough it is not all that bad since the expansion.

465 North on the west side become a choke point north of 71st Street to the 865 exit because of people rushing up the outside lane to bypass slower traffic.

As long as you hop off of 70 eastbound from Greenfield to 465 north on the east side before 6:45 you will arrive @ the Pyramids with plenty of time to spare, unless there is a traffic backup due to a wreck.

If that becomes the case, get off @ one of these exits....

Allisonville Road south to 82nd turn right (west), 82nd turns into 86th
Keystone Ave to 86th turn right (west)
Meridian Street south to 86th turn right (west)

After turning right on these streets, follow to Michigan Road and turn right (north)

North on Michigan Road and travel right over half a mile and turn right (east) on Depaul Blvd, it will take you right into the Pyramids.

I used to run the beer truck through there every morning before/during/after the road construction and had not problem averaging over 45mph even in some of the worst traffic problems in the morning.

It's eastbound 465 in the evenings on the nortside that becomes a parking lot because of the bottlebeck created on everybody trying to get off onto 69 north.

Good luck and travel safe.

 

[Brandon]

70 to 65 to MLK North on MLK which turns into Michigan. Take it straight up to destination on the right.

 

[tom1025]

Although no one has mentioned it as a route, assuming you come in on I 70 you could take that all the way into the city then take 65 north to 465 then 465 north to Michigan road.

At the beginning of the morning I 70 should not be too bad yet, and as the traffic picks up you will be moving out of the city opposite most of the flow.

I would personally avoid 465 north of the city where 69 enters. Frequent traffic slowdowns.

Just check the radio or news stations for traffic updates and good luck.

Big +1 here! This would be the easiest route. Plus it puts you on the westside of Indy and if the highway backs up you can get off several different exits and still make your destination without driving out of your way. Versus going northwest via northeast. And in case you didn't know MLK turns into Michigan Rd.

For those of you that mentioned the hotel room. Really? From Greenfield, In?
If you can't make it up there by 8 am without getting a hotel room then you have no business being there in the first place.

 

[10Forward]

Great tips here, from everybody! I commute to Fishers every day, but take the 'back way' (Fortville Pike, Mt Comfort Road, etc) into Fishers and avoid 70/465/69 completely - so I don't have a good gouge on when to leave, etc.

I've still got a few weeks before I have to go up there, but wanted to get some info NOW, instead of the day before.

 

[88GT]

Great tips here, from everybody! I commute to Fishers every day, but take the 'back way' (Fortville Pike, Mt Comfort Road, etc) into Fishers and avoid 70/465/69 completely - so I don't have a good gouge on when to leave, etc.

I've still got a few weeks before I have to go up there, but wanted to get some info NOW, instead of the day before.

It's a crap shoot whichever route you choose. But at least you have options if your primary choice ends up being a no-go.

It's true that the 69 chute of 465 gets clogged, but the north and south splits of 65/70 aren't any better. I think the splits are more prone to crashes than 465. And if you can stay in the left lane until you pass Allisonville Road, you should be able to skirt the slowest of traffic (even though you'll be lucky to go 45mph while doing it) and avoid the stop-n-go as half the world's population tries to merge on and off.

Surface streets should be your last resort IMO. Speeds may not be any worse than highway, but traffic lights can negate any gain. If you don't hit the lights just right, you could be stopping at every freaking one. And 86th Street has one about every city block.

Honestly, if you leave Greenfield about 6, you should hit 465 around 6:30 or 6:45, which is still well before most of the heavy traffic zones become unbearable. You'll probably scoot right by the 69 chute no problem.

 

[XSVskill]

70 to 65 to MLK North on MLK which turns into Michigan. Take it straight up to destination on the right.

^^^This. I used to make the the drive OP is asking about on a regular basis.

 

[dwh79]

Indy traffic is not that bad. It will take about an hour give about 30 flex so I would be on 70 by 6:30.