Indiana State Road 37
Encyclopedia
State Road 37 in the U.S. State
of Indiana
is a major route in Indiana, running as a 4-lane divided highway for 110 miles of its course.
At one time the route ran from the northeast corner of the state to the southwest corner. In the pre-Interstate Highway era, Indiana 37 was the most direct route between Fort Wayne
and Indianapolis
. Interstate 69
has supplanted it as a through route, and Indiana 37 now consists of two disconnected segments. The segment in northeastern Indiana runs from the Ohio
state line to Interstate 469
near Fort Wayne. The other segment starts in Marion
in north central Indiana and ends at Tell City
on the Ohio River
.
at a junction with State Road 9. It runs south and southwest, passing near Elwood
. From here it continues south to Noblesville
where it becomes 4-lane divided highway. After this it It merges with Interstate 69
near Fishers
, joining Interstate 465
northeast of Indianapolis
, running along the portion of I-465 concurrent with US-31
, US-36
, US-40
, US-52
, US-421
, and IN-67 (from exits 42 to 46).
It then departs Interstate 465
on the south side of Indianapolis at Exit 4 where it is a 4-lane divided highway until it's southern junction with IN-60 75 miles later. The road runs south and southwest through Martinsville
, Bloomington
, Bedford
and Mitchell. It should be noted that this section of the road is the most traveled portion of a state highway in the state and even contains 7 interchanges at major road crossings.
The next 45 mile segment is part of the above southern section but is a 2 lane rural route that has a lot less traffic. It begins in Orleans
and runs through Paoli
. At English
, it turns west along State Road 64
for about 8 miles (12.9 km) west before turning south at Eckerty
(along the Frank O'Bannon Highway
), meeting its southern terminus at the junction with State Road 66 on the Ohio River
in Tell City
.
state line near Harlan
, where it continues east as State Route 2. Indiana 37 runs southwest approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) to end at a junction with Interstate 469
on the northeast side of Fort Wayne.
(named for the late former governor
) between Interstate 64
at St. Croix
and Indiana 64 at Eckerty
numbered as Indiana 145. However, when the extension opened in November 2007, the signs proved that the Indiana Department of Transportation
(INDOT) had a change of heart.
At I-64 Exit 79, where Indiana 37 once turned east and ran concurrent with the interstate for eight miles (13 km) before continuing its northern journey, the route now continues north approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) to Eckerty
. At Eckerty, westbound Indiana 64 continues the new route to the northwest for a short distance (less than a mile) before meeting the existing Indiana 145, which continues north across Patoka Lake
to French Lick
. The new roadway thus creates a "straight shot" from Indiana 37's southern terminus at Tell City
to French Lick, West Baden and the new casino
. It also will reduce travel time for those traveling to Indianapolis
.
, where it exits the eastbound highway and rejoins the old route. The old, winding stretch of 37 from I-64 at Exit 86 north to English has been renumbered as Indiana 237
.
Bluff Road, a south-southwest-bound street on the south side of Indianapolis was sometimes shown on some road maps as "37A", because State Road 37 used to follow this route, but does not interchange with I-465/SR 37, nor does it have an intersection with State Road 37 south of that; it stops just short of the road in a dead end (though there is access to 37 via nearby Wicker Road immediately before that dead end). Allisonville Road, a north-northeast bound street on the opposite side of Indianapolis, was also shown as State Road 37A, but the road does terminate at State Road 37 north of the city and at Binford Blvd. at its south end.
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U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
is a major route in Indiana, running as a 4-lane divided highway for 110 miles of its course.
At one time the route ran from the northeast corner of the state to the southwest corner. In the pre-Interstate Highway era, Indiana 37 was the most direct route between Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
and Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. Interstate 69
Interstate 69
Interstate 69 is an Interstate Highway in the United States. It exists in two parts: a completed highway from Indianapolis, Indiana, northeast to the Canadian border in Port Huron, Michigan, and a mostly proposed extension southwest to the Mexican border in Texas...
has supplanted it as a through route, and Indiana 37 now consists of two disconnected segments. The segment in northeastern Indiana runs from the Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
state line to Interstate 469
Interstate 469
Interstate 469 is an Interstate Highway in the northeastern portion of the mid-western U.S. state of Indiana. It is an auxiliary route of parent Interstate 69 that also carries portions of US 24, US 30 and US 33 around the urban parts of Fort Wayne, Indiana...
near Fort Wayne. The other segment starts in Marion
Marion, Indiana
Marion is a city in Grant County, Indiana, United States. The population was 29,948 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Grant County...
in north central Indiana and ends at Tell City
Tell City, Indiana
Tell City is a city in Troy Township, Perry County, Indiana, along the Ohio River, Indiana's southern border. The population was 7,272 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Perry County.-History:...
on the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
.
Southern segment
The southern section section has its northern terminus just south of MarionMarion, Indiana
Marion is a city in Grant County, Indiana, United States. The population was 29,948 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Grant County...
at a junction with State Road 9. It runs south and southwest, passing near Elwood
Elwood, Indiana
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 9,737 people, 3,845 households, and 2,660 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,743.1 people per square mile . There were 4,179 housing units at an average density of 1,177.3 per square mile...
. From here it continues south to Noblesville
Noblesville, Indiana
Noblesville is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Indiana, United States, located just north of Indianapolis. The population was 51,969 at the 2010 census making it the 14th largest city/town in the state, up from 19th in 2007...
where it becomes 4-lane divided highway. After this it It merges with Interstate 69
Interstate 69
Interstate 69 is an Interstate Highway in the United States. It exists in two parts: a completed highway from Indianapolis, Indiana, northeast to the Canadian border in Port Huron, Michigan, and a mostly proposed extension southwest to the Mexican border in Texas...
near Fishers
Fishers, Indiana
Fishers is a town located in Fall Creek and Delaware townships, Hamilton County, Indiana, with a population of 76,794, according to the 2010 census. A suburb of Indianapolis, Fishers has grown rapidly in recent decades: about 350 people lived there in 1963, 2,000 in 1980, and only 7,200 as recently...
, joining Interstate 465
Interstate 465
Interstate 465 , also known as the USS Indianapolis Memorial Highway, is the beltway circling Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It is roughly rectangular in shape and has a perimeter of approximately 53 miles . It lies almost completely within the boundaries of Marion County, except for two...
northeast of Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, running along the portion of I-465 concurrent with US-31
U.S. Route 31
U.S. Route 31 is a long north–south highway connecting northern Michigan to southern Alabama, with its northern terminus at Interstate 75 near Mackinaw City, Michigan, and southern terminus at the combined U.S. Route 90 & U.S. Route 98 at Spanish Fort, Alabama...
, US-36
U.S. Route 36
U.S. Route 36 is an east–west United States highway that runs for from Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado to Uhrichsville, Ohio. The highway's western terminus is at Deer Ridge Junction, an intersection in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, where it meets U.S. Route 34. Its eastern...
, US-40
U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 is an east–west United States highway. As with most routes whose numbers end in a zero, U.S. 40 once traversed the entire United States. It is one of the original 1920s U.S. Highways, and its first termini were San Francisco, California, and Atlantic City, New Jersey...
, US-52
U.S. Route 52
U.S. Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern, eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S...
, US-421
U.S. Route 421
U.S. Route 421 is a spur route of U.S. 21. It runs for from Michigan City, Indiana, at U.S. 20, to Fort Fisher in North Carolina. The highway goes through the cities of Indianapolis, Indiana, Lexington, Kentucky, Boone, North Carolina, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Greensboro, North Carolina and...
, and IN-67 (from exits 42 to 46).
It then departs Interstate 465
Interstate 465
Interstate 465 , also known as the USS Indianapolis Memorial Highway, is the beltway circling Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It is roughly rectangular in shape and has a perimeter of approximately 53 miles . It lies almost completely within the boundaries of Marion County, except for two...
on the south side of Indianapolis at Exit 4 where it is a 4-lane divided highway until it's southern junction with IN-60 75 miles later. The road runs south and southwest through Martinsville
Martinsville, Indiana
Martinsville is a city in and the county seat of Morgan County, Indiana, United States; the population was 11,828 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
, Bedford
Bedford, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,768 people, 6,054 households, and 3,644 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,157.1 people per square mile . There were 6,618 housing units at an average density of 556.2 per square mile...
and Mitchell. It should be noted that this section of the road is the most traveled portion of a state highway in the state and even contains 7 interchanges at major road crossings.
The next 45 mile segment is part of the above southern section but is a 2 lane rural route that has a lot less traffic. It begins in Orleans
Orleans, Indiana
Orleans is a town in Orleans Township, Orange County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,273 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Orleans is located at ....
and runs through Paoli
Paoli, Indiana
Paoli is a town in Paoli Township, Orange County, Indiana, United States. The population was 3,844 at the 2000 census. The town is the county seat of Orange County.-History:...
. At English
English, Indiana
English is a town in and the county seat of Sterling Township, Crawford County, Indiana, United States. The population was 645 at the 2010 census, making it one of Indiana's smallest county seats.-Geography:English is located at ....
, it turns west along State Road 64
Indiana State Road 64
State Road 64 in the U.S. State of Indiana is an east–west highway that crosses most of the southern portion of the state, covering a distance of about .-Route description:...
for about 8 miles (12.9 km) west before turning south at Eckerty
Eckerty, Indiana
Eckerty is an unincorporated town in Johnson Township, Crawford County, Indiana....
(along the Frank O'Bannon Highway
Frank O'Bannon Highway
The Frank O'Bannon Highway is a series of highways in the state of Indiana.The highway follows existing segments, from south to north, of Indiana 37 from Tell City to Eckerty, Indiana 64 at Eckerty, Indiana 145 from Eckerty to French Lick, Indiana 56 from French Lick to Prospect, U.S...
), meeting its southern terminus at the junction with State Road 66 on the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
in Tell City
Tell City, Indiana
Tell City is a city in Troy Township, Perry County, Indiana, along the Ohio River, Indiana's southern border. The population was 7,272 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Perry County.-History:...
.
Northern segment
The northern section begins at the OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
state line near Harlan
Harlan, Indiana
Harlan is an unincorporated town in Springfield Township, Allen County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 Census, Harlan has a population of 1,634. Present-day Harlan is the mergance of the towns of Harlan and Maysville...
, where it continues east as State Route 2. Indiana 37 runs southwest approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) to end at a junction with Interstate 469
Interstate 469
Interstate 469 is an Interstate Highway in the northeastern portion of the mid-western U.S. state of Indiana. It is an auxiliary route of parent Interstate 69 that also carries portions of US 24, US 30 and US 33 around the urban parts of Fort Wayne, Indiana...
on the northeast side of Fort Wayne.
Future
Due to the fact that SR 37 is already a 4-lane limited access highway (although it is still well short of freeway standards as it contains many at-grade intersections, including 19 traffic lights) it will be upgraded with some work to become Interstate 69 from north of Victor Pike in Bloomington to the curve south of Epler Avenue in Indianapolis, where I-69 will run straight north to Interstate 465.Frank O'Bannon Highway
In recent years, Indiana's official state highway maps have shown the 10 miles (16.1 km) extension of the Frank O'Bannon HighwayFrank O'Bannon Highway
The Frank O'Bannon Highway is a series of highways in the state of Indiana.The highway follows existing segments, from south to north, of Indiana 37 from Tell City to Eckerty, Indiana 64 at Eckerty, Indiana 145 from Eckerty to French Lick, Indiana 56 from French Lick to Prospect, U.S...
(named for the late former governor
Frank O'Bannon
Frank Lewis O'Bannon was an American politician who was the 47th Governor of Indiana from 1997 until his death in 2003.-Background:...
) between Interstate 64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
at St. Croix
St. Croix, Indiana
St. Croix is an unincorporated community in northern Oil Township, Perry County, Indiana, United States. It lies along State Road 62 near its intersection with Interstate 64 and State Road 37, northeast of the city of Tell City, the county seat of Perry County. Its elevation is 725 feet ,...
and Indiana 64 at Eckerty
Eckerty, Indiana
Eckerty is an unincorporated town in Johnson Township, Crawford County, Indiana....
numbered as Indiana 145. However, when the extension opened in November 2007, the signs proved that the Indiana Department of Transportation
Indiana Department of Transportation
The Indiana Department of Transportation is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of Indiana charged with maintaining and regulating transportation and transportation related infrastructure such as state owned airports, state highways and state owned canals or railroads.-Districts:INDOT is...
(INDOT) had a change of heart.
At I-64 Exit 79, where Indiana 37 once turned east and ran concurrent with the interstate for eight miles (13 km) before continuing its northern journey, the route now continues north approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) to Eckerty
Eckerty, Indiana
Eckerty is an unincorporated town in Johnson Township, Crawford County, Indiana....
. At Eckerty, westbound Indiana 64 continues the new route to the northwest for a short distance (less than a mile) before meeting the existing Indiana 145, which continues north across Patoka Lake
Patoka Lake
Patoka Lake is the second largest reservoir in Indiana and is spread across Dubois, Crawford, and Orange counties in southern Indiana.Created as a joint effort between the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources the lake is one of eight such reservoirs built in...
to French Lick
French Lick, Indiana
French Lick is a town in French Lick Township, Orange County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,807 at the 2010 census. In early 2006 the French Lick Resort Casino, the state's tenth casino in the modern legalized era, opened drawing national attention to the small town.- History :French...
. The new roadway thus creates a "straight shot" from Indiana 37's southern terminus at Tell City
Tell City, Indiana
Tell City is a city in Troy Township, Perry County, Indiana, along the Ohio River, Indiana's southern border. The population was 7,272 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Perry County.-History:...
to French Lick, West Baden and the new casino
French Lick Resort Casino
French Lick Resort is a resort complex located in the towns of West Baden and French Lick, Indiana. The complex includes two historic resort spa hotels, stables, a casino and three golf courses, all part of a $500 million restoration and development project....
. It also will reduce travel time for those traveling to Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
.
Southern section
For its part, Indiana 37 now turns to the east and is concurrent with Indiana 64 from Eckerty to EnglishEnglish, Indiana
English is a town in and the county seat of Sterling Township, Crawford County, Indiana, United States. The population was 645 at the 2010 census, making it one of Indiana's smallest county seats.-Geography:English is located at ....
, where it exits the eastbound highway and rejoins the old route. The old, winding stretch of 37 from I-64 at Exit 86 north to English has been renumbered as Indiana 237
Indiana State Road 237
Indiana State Road 237 in the U.S. state of Indiana is a discontinuous route in Perry and Crawford counties.- Southern section :The Perry County segment of SR 237, which connects to SR 37 about northeast of Tell City, Indiana, provides access to Hawesville, Kentucky, via the Bob Cummings - Lincoln...
.
Indianapolis
Its original route through Indianapolis started with Binford Boulevard, which continues southwestward from I-69 at the interchange with I-465. Binford Blvd. then ends and traffic merges onto East Fall Creek Parkway North Drive. State Road 37's traffic followed this route still southwestward, then turned to the west onto East 38th Street. SR 37 followed this to North Meridian Street, and turned south, joining with the traffic from U.S. Highway 31 before it too was routed onto I-465. The route continued south to East North Street for one block and then southward onto North Pennsylvania Street for southbound traffic, and northbound traffic was one block to the east on North Delaware Street. The traffic then joined together on Madison Avenue, south of downtown, headed in a south-southeast direction. State Road 37's old route then continued directly south on South East Street to I-465 west to its current exit, #4, Harding Street.Bluff Road, a south-southwest-bound street on the south side of Indianapolis was sometimes shown on some road maps as "37A", because State Road 37 used to follow this route, but does not interchange with I-465/SR 37, nor does it have an intersection with State Road 37 south of that; it stops just short of the road in a dead end (though there is access to 37 via nearby Wicker Road immediately before that dead end). Allisonville Road, a north-northeast bound street on the opposite side of Indianapolis, was also shown as State Road 37A, but the road does terminate at State Road 37 north of the city and at Binford Blvd. at its south end.
Major intersections
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