Then there were five.
Tuesday, the Indiana Department of Transportation revealed the final five routes being considered for Interstate 69 as it makes its way from Evansville north to Indianapolis.
The five routes, which are considered preliminary alternatives, were chosen from 14 routes. Those 14 routes had been chosen from 27 possible routes.
All five routes follow the current Ind. 37 footprint through Martinsville, according to maps provided by INDOT.
Sarah Rubin, INDOT Section 6 project co-manager, said the route through Martinsville was the route identified by city officials as the preferred alternative.
"In talking to city officials, the mayor, the redevelopment commission and others, Ind. 37 through Martinsville was the preferred route," Rubin said. "That was a strong point of emphasis.
"Martinsville has been involved with coordinating efforts and very proactive in choosing the route for I-69."
Rubin said the state strongly considered the work the city had done on Ohio Street and in moving utilities when making the decision to eliminate any alternative that bypassed the Ind. 37 route through the city. Aside from city preferences, Rubin said there were environmental impacts both east and west of the city that would have prevented a bypass.
Two of the alternatives, which were dubbed D and B, split from Ind. 37 north of Martinsville and go west north of Brooklyn, but south of Mooresville. They link up with Interstate 70 west of the Ind. 267 interchange.
Alternatives named K4 and K3 split from Ind. 37 north of Martinsville and take more easterly routes. They connect with Interstate 465 at Mann Road.
The alternatives were chosen using public input gleaned during informational sessions, as well as from community advisory committees and from studying financial and environmental data collected in the last few months, Rubin said.
Other factors that could affect the decision include the impact on businesses and residential developments, the development of Indianapolis International Airport, flood plains, waterways, schools, emergency services, hospitals, the impact on communities, endangered species and environmental and archaeological issues.
INDOT Media Relations Director Will Wingfield said Ind. 37 will be one of the final alternatives because it was the first proposal, but the other four routes are being just as strongly considered at this point.
"We wouldn't be doing this process justice if we didn't go in depth in looking at all the alternatives," Wingfield said. "We have to look at whether it makes sense to purchase houses and businesses or create access roads."
He said that in some cases, it makes more sense to deal with new terrain where there are fewer driveways and people to displace and in others it doesn't.
The preliminary alternatives will be pared down further to reasonable alternatives, Wingfield said. Those alternatives will be presented to the public and government agencies in late 2015. Potential locations of interchanges, local access roads and the footprint of the interstate will also be announced.
Wingfield said he expects a recommendation for the final route to be presented in early 2017 along with the draft environmental -impact document.
A final decision on the route would likely be made and announced in 2018.