Accidents up on I69 at Bloomington

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There has been a rise in car accidents on I69 since construction began in Monroe County more than two years ago.

Crashes between the Bloomington and Martinsville portion of Interstate 69 have increased nearly 48 percent since 2014.

State data shows there were more than 350 crashes along the 21-mile highway stretch in 2016, almost 115 more crashes than in 2014.

Indiana Department of Transportation officials say accidents are more likely to occur in construction zones due to rerouted traffic, stopped traffic and lane changes.

Democrat Rep. Matt Pierce says more people will likely get injured the longer construction continues.

The project was scheduled to finish in October, but has seen multiple delays. State officials say construction will continue until August 2018.