Indiana State Road 45
Encyclopedia
State Road 45 is a state route from Bean Blossom, Indiana
to Scotland, Indiana
in the southern half of the state.
, State Road 45 is a narrow, shoulderless two-lane road that passes between the Morgan-Monroe State Forest and the Yellowwood State Forest. It is heavily wooded and follows the natural terrain, which gives the road tight curves and steep hills.
As the road passes into Monroe County
, the woods disappear and farms and homes begin to line the road. The road remains hilly and curvy until it reaches Bloomington
, where it bypasses the city concurrent with State Road 46 and then State Road 37
. West of Bloomington, shoulders appear on State Road 45 and its two lanes become wider. The road meanders with the rolling terrain until it meets and overlaps State Road 58
, after which it is straight and flat until its terminus at US 231
.
Also the section from Bloomington until State Road 58 will become the most direct link between State Road 37 and the new I-69 between Crane and Evansville upon the latter's completion in late 2012.
After 2014 the next section of I-69 from Crane to Bloomington will be complete and this part of State Road 45 will be a minor route running close to the new interstate.
to the State Road 58 junction near Scotland
. However, as with State Road 43's former multiplex with 231 from Spencer to Lafayette, the state highway department deleted much of the route.
This left the current segment along with a short, 5-mile section from Patronville to Rockport that acted as a connector to then-U.S. 231 (now State Road 161
) and Owensboro
, Kentucky
. This southern section was decommissioned and turned over to the control of the city of Rockport (within the city limits) and Spencer County
(outside of Rockport) in early 2001, about a year before U.S. 231 was rerouted onto the William H. Natcher Bridge
. The former section of 231 was renamed as State Road 161 with the short Kentucky section given the number 2155.
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...
to Scotland, Indiana
Scotland, Indiana
Scotland is an unincorporated town in Taylor Township, Greene County, Indiana....
in the southern half of the state.
Route description
From Bean Blossom and through Brown CountyBrown County, Indiana
Brown County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population is 15,242. The county seat is Nashville.- History :...
, State Road 45 is a narrow, shoulderless two-lane road that passes between the Morgan-Monroe State Forest and the Yellowwood State Forest. It is heavily wooded and follows the natural terrain, which gives the road tight curves and steep hills.
As the road passes into Monroe County
Monroe County, Indiana
As of the census of 2010, there were 137,974 people, 46,898 households, and 24,715 families residing in the county. The population density was 306 people per square mile . There were 50,846 housing units at an average density of 129 per square mile...
, the woods disappear and farms and homes begin to line the road. The road remains hilly and curvy until it reaches 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....
, where it bypasses the city concurrent with State Road 46 and then State Road 37
Indiana State Road 37
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....
. West of Bloomington, shoulders appear on State Road 45 and its two lanes become wider. The road meanders with the rolling terrain until it meets and overlaps State Road 58
Indiana State Road 58
State Road 58 is an east–west road in Central Indiana. State Road 58 runs from Merom in the west to Columbus in the east, a distance of approximately . Along its route it has concurrencies with one U.S. Route and six other Indiana state roads....
, after which it is straight and flat until its terminus at US 231
U.S. Route 231
U.S. Route 231 is a parallel route of U.S. Route 31. It currently runs for 912 miles from St. John, Indiana, at U.S. Route 41 to south of U.S. Route 98 in Downtown Panama City, Florida.One of its most notable landmarks is the William H...
.
Future
State Road 45's concurrency with State Road 46 in Bloomington is under major construction as it is in the process of being upgraded from a 2 lane road to a 4-6 lane highway. This project is set for completion in Nov. 2012.Also the section from Bloomington until State Road 58 will become the most direct link between State Road 37 and the new I-69 between Crane and Evansville upon the latter's completion in late 2012.
After 2014 the next section of I-69 from Crane to Bloomington will be complete and this part of State Road 45 will be a minor route running close to the new interstate.
History
Prior to the early 1980s, State Road 45 was multiplexed with U.S. 231 from RockportRockport, Indiana
Rockport is a city in Ohio Township, Spencer County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,160 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Spencer County.-History:...
to the State Road 58 junction near Scotland
Scotland, Indiana
Scotland is an unincorporated town in Taylor Township, Greene County, Indiana....
. However, as with State Road 43's former multiplex with 231 from Spencer to Lafayette, the state highway department deleted much of the route.
This left the current segment along with a short, 5-mile section from Patronville to Rockport that acted as a connector to then-U.S. 231 (now State Road 161
Indiana State Road 161
State Road 161 in the U.S. State of Indiana is a rural undivided north–south highway in the southwestern portion of the state.-Route description:...
) and Owensboro
Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro is the fourth largest city by population in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the county seat of Daviess County. It is located on U.S. Route 60 about southeast of Evansville, Indiana, and is the principal city of the Owensboro, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. This southern section was decommissioned and turned over to the control of the city of Rockport (within the city limits) and Spencer County
Spencer County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,391 people, 7,569 households, and 5,752 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 8,333 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
(outside of Rockport) in early 2001, about a year before U.S. 231 was rerouted onto the William H. Natcher Bridge
William H. Natcher Bridge
The William H. Natcher Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge that carries U.S. Highway 231 over the Ohio River. The bridge connects Owensboro, Kentucky to Rockport, Indiana and opened on October 21, 2002. It is named in honor of William Huston Natcher, a former United States Representative who served...
. The former section of 231 was renamed as State Road 161 with the short Kentucky section given the number 2155.