East end: US 52 Constructed 1 October 1926 | Length 252.2 km | |
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Existed: October 1, 1926 – present West end: I-70 / US 40 at Terre Haute US 231 at Spencer I-69 / SR 37 / SR 45 at Bloomington I-65 at Columbus US 31 at Columbus | ||
State Road 46 in the U.S. State of Indiana is an east–west state highway in the southern half of Indiana.
Contents
Map of State Rd 46, Indiana, USA
Route description
The western terminus of SR 46 is at I-70 east of Terre Haute 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.
History
Until the 1930s, SR 46's western terminus was at the Illinois–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.
Until recently "The Bypass" portion in Bloomington had congestion. However, a major construction project completed in Nov. 2012 widened the road to 4 lanes and alleviated the issue on this part of the roadway. SR 46 as a result of this project is now four lanes from Elletsville until the intersection with SR 446.
Recently, Route 46 has been truncated from U.S. Route 40 to Interstate 70 because U.S Route 40 was moved to Interstate 70.