INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) – The ramp from I-465 south to I-70 east has officially reopened following repair work due to a tanker explosion Thursday.
The Indiana Department of Transportation spent the weekend testing the bridge and making repairs after a tanker truck carrying more than 4,000 gallons of jet fuel hit the guardrail, overturned and caught fire, causing multiple explosions.
Heavy fire was widespread across the bridge, requiring extensive clean-up and assessment before the bridge could be reopened.
The bridge was closed through Thursday night.
INDOT was able to have one lane of the I-465 southbound ramp to I-70 eastbound open until Saturday morning.
Fortunately, there was no major structural damage to the bridge but further testing was needed Saturday.
Crews closed I-465 southbound to I-70 eastbound starting at 9:30 a.m. Sunday to patch the deck of the bridge that was burned by the fire. Traffic was diverted to Shadeland Avenue to get onto I-70 east.
By 3:45 p.m. Sunday, the ramp from I-465 south to I-70 east was completely reopened.
An INDOT spokesperson told Eyewitness News, "most repairs we can make without a contractor have been made. The rest we will roll into a contract this summer."
The driver of the tanker truck remained in critical condition as of Friday morning. State police believe unsafe speed was a factor in the crash.