Airport Expressway (Indianapolis)

Sam Jones Expressway (nee Airport Expressway) is a 4-lane urban expressway approximately 1.8 miles in length which, along with Interstate 70, provides a direct route between downtown Indianapolis and the Indianapolis International Airport.

Routing

The Eastern end of the current Sam Jones Expressway is an interchange with Interstate 70. If one continues East beyond this point, the road becomes Raymond Street. The Western endpoint is a "T" intersection on the grounds of the current Indianapolis International Airport. Between these two points are interchanges with Lynnhurst Drive, Executive Drive, and Interstate 465.

Legal Status

The Sam Jones Expressway is not an Interstate highway, nor is it signed as a U.S. or state highway. The same is true for the expressway section of Shadeland Avenue on the opposite side of Indianapolis.

Future obsolescence

A new terminal is under construction at the Indianapolis International Airport which, when completed in 2008, will replace the existing terminal. The existing terminal is on the Eastern side of the airport grounds and the new terminal is on the Southwestern side, thus once the new terminal is completed the Sam Jones Expressway will no longer be a direct route for reaching the airport terminal from any location. A new interchange is being constructed on I-70 to serve the new terminal. This has caused lawmakers to rename the Airport Expressway the Sam Jones Expressway.

External links

* [http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&om=1&z=13&ll=39.719599,-86.278725&spn=0.062454,0.1157 Map (via Google Maps) showing Airport Expressway and Indianapolis International Airport]
* [http://www.indianapolisairport.com/ Indianapolis International Airport]
* [http://www.newindianapolisairport.com/ New Indianapolis Airport terminal, under construction]