Lane closures planned on SR 66 in Tell City for sidewalk project

Traffic on westbound State Road 66 in Tell City has shifted into a slower, tighter pattern as lane closures began in the outside driving lane between Washington Street and William Tell Boulevard. Indiana State Police’s Jasper District and the Indiana Department of Transportation said the work started on or around Monday, April 6, and is expected to run through the beginning of September, weather permitting.

The inside westbound passing lane is staying open, but the closures are being handled in phases, which means the traffic pattern will change as crews move through the corridor. INDOT is urging drivers to slow down, use extra caution and avoid distractions in and near the work zone. For commuters heading through downtown Tell City, the practical effect is a narrower westbound route through one of the city’s busiest stretches for everyday traffic and business access.

The project is tied to sidewalk and approach construction along SR 66, part of a broader bike-and-pedestrian facility project in Tell City. A project document says the sidewalk is needed for pedestrian safety in the community’s busiest commerce area and is meant to connect with other streetscape and sidewalk projects already planned in town.

That makes the impact more than a simple lane restriction. Delivery trucks, shoppers, customers and regular westbound drivers using SR 66 through the city center will all be moving through a work zone that sits near a key commercial corridor. With only one westbound lane available, drivers passing through Perry County should build in extra time and pay close attention to changing traffic control as the phases progress.

The lane closures are part of a maintenance and improvement pattern that is touching more than just pavement. In Tell City, the work is aimed at making the corridor safer and more connected for people on foot and on bikes, while keeping traffic moving through one of the county’s most active roads.