Martinsville businesses optimistic as I-69 reopens

MARTINSVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — A downtown Martinsville concern proprietor connected Monday said the long-awaited reopening of Interstate 69 could pb to much customers than ever for her business.

Sidney Stallsworth opened Sidney and Girlfriends Nails and Day Spa successful Martinsville astir 3 years ago. Early this year, INDOT closed the conception of State Road 37 that runs done the municipality arsenic portion of the I-69 enlargement project.

When finished, I-69 volition tally from Evansville done Indianapolis each the mode to the Canadian border.

The closure of S.R. 37 meant postulation had to detour done town. Stallsworth said that made getting astir much difficult, and it adjacent outgo her a fewer customers.

On Monday morning, Gov. Eric Holcomb chopped the ribbon connected the caller conception of I-69 moving done Martinsville. INDOT said its crews volition dilatory reopen the northbound lanes this week, with the southbound lanes pursuing adjacent week. Stallsworth said not lone volition the reopened roadworthy instrumentality the unit disconnected the metropolis streets, the expanded entree could mean much customers for tiny businesses similar hers.

“We’re going to beryllium capable to person much maturation due to the fact that it’s conscionable going to unfastened that corridor close up,” she said. “So it’s going to beryllium good. It’s going to beryllium bully for our maturation for this caller season.”

INDOT said the process of converting S.R. 37 into I-69 present volition displacement into Johnson County. The bureau said drivers should expect lane closures but volition nary longer request to detour done the Mooresville oregon Martinsville areas if they are driving to Indianapolis from points southbound of Martinsville.