Indiana State Road 46
Encyclopedia
State Road 46 in the U.S. State
of Indiana
is an east–west state highway
in the southern half of Indiana
.
, just east of Terre Haute
. It then goes under I-70
at an interchange before becoming a heavily traveled modernized 2-lane highway through Spencer
where it intersects SR 67
and US 231. It then proceeds to Elletsville where it becomes a 4-lane expressway until an Interchange with SR 37
. It then goes directly through the college town of Bloomington
. It multiplexes with SR 45
on a road known as "The Bypass" just north of Indiana University
where it passes by the athletic complex. It then goes by the College Mall
in Bloomington where it makes a left turn and winds towards the artist colony of Nashville
passing by SR 446
and Lake Monroe
. After making a right turn at SR 135
in Nashville it proceeds to Columbus
where it goes under I-65
at an interchange. It then heads to Greensburg
where it multiplexes with SR 3
and again becomes a 4-lane expressway.
At this point it makes a right turn and becomes a minor 2-lane highway as it closely follows I-74 until its eastern terminus its at US 52 in northeastern Dearborn County
.
There are also long term plans to widen the road to four lanes from Spencer to Elletsville and from Bloomington to Columbus but this is years away.
–Indiana state line and when U.S. Route 150 (US 150) was commissioned on that route. The eastern terminus was at the Ohio
–Indiana border when US 52 was commission along this route.
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 an east–west state highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the southern half 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...
.
Route description
The western terminus of SR 46 is at U.S. Route 40 (US 40) in central Vigo CountyVigo County, Indiana
Vigo County is a county located along the western border of the U.S. state of Indiana. Vigo County is included in the Terre Haute, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Terre Haute....
, just east of Terre Haute
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
. It then goes under I-70
Interstate 70 in Indiana
In the U.S. state of Indiana, Interstate 70 travels east–west across the state passing through Indianapolis. Interstate 70 crosses into Indiana near Terre Haute and crosses into Ohio in Richmond. It covers 156.60 miles in Indiana. It parallels U.S...
at an interchange before becoming a heavily traveled modernized 2-lane highway through Spencer
Spencer, Indiana
Spencer is a town in Washington Township, Owen County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,217 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Owen County.Spencer is part of the Bloomington, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
where it intersects SR 67
Indiana State Road 67
State Road 67 in the U.S. State of Indiana cuts a diagonal route from southwest to northeast across the state from the north side of Vincennes to Indianapolis to the Ohio state line, where it becomes State Route 29 east of Bryant.-Route description:...
and US 231. It then proceeds to Elletsville where it becomes a 4-lane expressway until an Interchange with SR 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....
. It then goes directly through the college town of 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....
. It multiplexes with SR 45
Indiana State Road 45
State Road 45 is a state route from Bean Blossom, Indiana to Scotland, Indiana in the southern half of the state.-Route description:From Bean Blossom and through Brown County, State Road 45 is a narrow, shoulderless two-lane road that passes between the Morgan-Monroe State Forest and the Yellowwood...
on a road known as "The Bypass" just north of Indiana University
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
where it passes by the athletic complex. It then goes by the College Mall
College Mall
College Mall is a regional shopping mall located in Bloomington, Indiana. This is home to Indiana University's flagship campus.College Mall opened in 1965. This makes the mall one of the older malls in the central/southern part of Indiana...
in Bloomington where it makes a left turn and winds towards the artist colony of Nashville
Nashville, Indiana
Nashville is a town in Washington Township, Brown County, Indiana, United States. The population was 803 at the 2010 census. The town is the county seat of Brown County and is the county's only incorporated town...
passing by SR 446
Indiana State Road 446
State Road 446 is a short highway in the southern portion of the U.S. State of Indiana. Though it is an even-numbered route, it is actually a north–south highway.-Route description:...
and Lake Monroe
Lake Monroe (Indiana)
Lake Monroe is a reservoir located about 10 miles southeast of Bloomington, Indiana, United States. The lake is the largest in Indiana with of water spread over the counties of Monroe and Brown. It is also home to of protected forest and three recreational areas . Indiana's only federally...
. After making a right turn at SR 135
Indiana State Road 135
State Road 135 in the U.S. State of Indiana is a road that connects Indianapolis with the Ohio River; for the most part it is a two-lane road.-Route description:The southern terminus is the Matthew E. Welsh Bridge on the east side of Mauckport...
in Nashville it proceeds to Columbus
Columbus, Indiana
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Bartholomew County, Indiana, United States. The population was 44,061 at the 2010 census, and the current mayor is Fred Armstrong. Located approximately 40 miles south of Indianapolis, on the east fork of the White River, it is the state's 20th largest...
where it goes under I-65
Interstate 65 in Indiana
In the U.S. state of Indiana, Interstate 65 traverses the state from south to north. The Indiana portion begins near Louisville, Kentucky and travels north, passing through Columbus, Indianapolis, Lafayette. Interstate 65 terminates near Gary on the Indiana Toll Road. Interstate 65 covers 261.27...
at an interchange. It then heads to Greensburg
Greensburg, Indiana
Greensburg is a city in Decatur County, Indiana, United States. The population was counted at 11,492 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Decatur County....
where it multiplexes with SR 3
Indiana State Road 3
State Road 3 in the U.S. State of Indiana is a discontinuous state road running through east central Indiana from near the Michigan state line to near the Ohio River...
and again becomes a 4-lane expressway.
At this point it makes a right turn and becomes a minor 2-lane highway as it closely follows I-74 until its eastern terminus its at US 52 in northeastern Dearborn County
Dearborn County, Indiana
Dearborn County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 50,047. It is part of the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky metropolitan area. The county seat is Lawrenceburg.-History:...
.
Future
Currently much congestion exists on the entire route, particularly in Bloomington on "The Bypass". The Bypass congestion is currently being addressed as a major 3.1 mile construction project (with the first 1.8 miles already complete) will upgrade the road from a 2 lane road to a 4-6 lane highway. This project will be completed in Nov. 2012. Once completed SR 46 will be at least four lanes from Elletsville until the intersection with SR 446.There are also long term plans to widen the road to four lanes from Spencer to Elletsville and from Bloomington to Columbus but this is years away.
History
Until the 1930s, SR 46's western terminus was at the IllinoisIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
–Indiana state line and when U.S. Route 150 (US 150) was commissioned on that route. The eastern terminus was at 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...
–Indiana border when US 52 was commission along this route.