Indianapolis is buzzing in anticipation of hosting Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5, 2012. While final preparations are still being made, it’s important for both local residents and out-of-town guests to understand how standard traffic patterns are going to change for the event, especially around Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indiana Convention Center and the Super Bowl Village along the downtown area’s Georgia Street.

In fact, the Indianapolis Host Committee has prepared a variety of tips (noted below) to help with navigation into and around the Circle City.

Getting to Downtown Indianapolis

There are several interstates, major roadways and alternative routes into the city’s downtown area. Keep in mind that Interstate 465 is a belt that runs completely around the city. Interstate 70 is an east/west corridor that leads to Indianapolis and I-65 is a mostly north/south interstate that runs directly through the heart of downtown.

From the North
• I-65 from Chicago, northwest Indiana, Lafayette, Ind.
• Recommended interchanges that access downtown Indianapolis: Martin Luther King Drive (Exit 114) or Meridian Street (Exit 113).
• I-69 from Detroit, Mich., and Ft. Wayne, Muncie and Anderson, Ind., to Binford Blvd or I-465 South to I-70 West.
• U.S. 31 from South Bend  Kokomo, Ind., to Meridian Street.  

From the South
• I-65 from Louisville, Ky., Jeffersonville, Ind., Columbus, Ind., Greenwood, Ind.
• Recommended interchanges that access downtown Indianapolis:  Washington Street (Exit 111) to the east or I-70 to South Meridian Street (Exit 113).    
From the West
• I-70 from St. Louis, Mo., Terre Haute, Ind., Plainfield, Ind.
• Recommended interchanges to access downtown Indianapolis: Harding Street (Exit 78) or Meridian Street (Exit 79B).
• I-74 from Peoria, Ill., Brownsburg, Ind., to I-465 South to I-70 East  

From the East  
• I-70 from Columbus, OH, Richmond, IN, New Castle, IN, Greenfield, IN.
• Recommended interchanges that access downtown Indianapolis: Michigan Street, Ohio Street, Fletcher Avenue (Exit 83A), or Meridian Street (Exit 79B).
• I-74 from Cincinnati, Ohio, Connersville, Ind., Shelbyville, Ind., to I-465 North to I-70 West.
• Recommended downtown interchanges to access downtown Indianapolis: Southeastern Avenue. 

Understandably, there will be many street restrictions in place during Super Bowl weekend. In fact, many roadways commonly used to navigate downtown Indianapolis will be affected including Capitol Avenue, Illinois Street, Meridian Street, Market Street, Pennsylvania Street, Georgia Street, South Street and Missouri Street.

Recommended Routes to Navigate Downtown Indianapolis

In order to expedite traffic flow, two specific alternative routes have been created to assist drivers in their efforts to navigate downtown Indianapolis from now through Feb. 10, 2012.

The “Super Route,” represented in local signage with orange colors, runs counter-clockwise from McCarty Street on the south to Delaware Street on the east and from Michigan Street on the north to West Street on the west.

Travelers will be able to cross over to parking destinations on local streets that are not restricted.

The “Bowl Route,” represented in local signage with blue colors, runs clockwise from McCarty Street on the south to Missouri/West Street on the west and from New York Street on the north to East Street on the east, traveling west on South Street and south on Madison Avenue back to McCarty Street.

Finding a parking spot in downtown Indianapolis during Super Bowl weekend is expected to be a challenge. As an alternative to driving themselves, visitors may want to take advantage of the city’s Park and Ride Program.

The low-cost shuttle service, accessible from a variety of locations, will transport riders to a drop-off/load zone on West Washington Street, just south of the city’s Government Center and one block north of the Indiana Convention Center.

Aside from the Park and Ride program, IndyGo public transportation has 30 local, fixed route lines, 26 of which converge in the downtown center of Indianapolis.

Additionally, for pre-weekend activities, the Indy Express Bus provides service from the nearby cities of Carmel and Fishers to downtown Indianapolis weekdays during morning and afternoon rush hours for only $5 each way.

The Carmel location is at Meijer (a supermarket chain) at the corner of Pennsylvania and West Carmel Drive.
The Fishers location is at Prairie View at Crosspoint, which is at the northeast corner of 106th Street and Lantern Road on the west side of I-69.

Some helpful links:

• Indianapolis Super Bowl – Transportation and Parking
• Downtown Park and Ride
• Indy Express Bus