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Traffic re-routed for arena preparations

By Nathan Ryder - bio | email | Twitter
Posted by Sarah Harlan - email

EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) - Downtown traffic is going to take some new twists and turns.

Demolition and other prep work for the new arena is changing the flow of traffic near the busy Civic Center.

There is already a minor restriction in place on Martin Luther King in front of the Civic Center, but starting next week, downtown drivers will see more restrictions as work on the arena site really begins to fire up.

"We're actually starting to move some dirt and build an arena," arena project manager John Kish said. 

As work gets underway, preparing for the demolition of the Executive Inn and the construction of a new downtown arena, drivers will face several restrictions as they make their way around the project site.

"MLK has some lane restrictions now," Kish said. "Those are the utility companies moving their utilities out of the way. That will come and go over the next couple of weeks."

Right now, just one lane of northbound MLK is closed so crews can move utility lines.

Eventually, all traffic on MLK will be reduced to just one lane each direction.

Traffic will run on the Civic Center side of the median while the arena is built.

"The building is so tall and we need room to safely maneuver cranes around it and not put the workers at risk," Kish said. 

That lane shift means turns will be restricted off MLK.

Only southbound drivers will be able to turn onto Main Street.

Traffic also won't be able to turn off MLK into the front Civic Center parking lot.

Instead, traffic will have to come in from behind the Civic Center.

Beginning next week, the intersection of Locust Street and Sixth will close, making way for the installation of a new three foot sewer pipe.

That means you won't be able to drive on Locust between MLK and 5th or on Sixth Street between Main and Walnut.

"Locust is gone for good," Kish said. "It will be on the three point line on the basketball court. There's a manhole that needs to be installed right in the middle of the intersection to accommodate the new sewer pipes."

Scoping out all the pavement markings, Kish said it's exciting to begin to see where everything will end up.

"I've seen it from blue prints for so long but now you come out and it's actually where they say it is," Kish said. 

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