The ongoing upgrade of S.R. 15 north of U.S. 20 is going to last longer than originally expected.

So is the road closure there.

The Indiana Department of Transportation said Monday that S.R. 15, closed along a 2-mile stretch north of U.S. 20 since late May, will stay closed at the spot through late November. Earlier plans had called for the closure to end by late October, weather permitting.

The official detour, mainly for truck traffic, is about 18 miles. Northbound S.R. 15 vehicles must head east on U.S. 20 to S.R. 13, go north on that roadway to S.R. 120 and then backtrack west to S.R. 15.

The busy S.R. 15-U.S. 20 crossing, located between Goshen and Bristol, is in the midst of a major $8.35 million upgrade. The roads have been widened at the intersection, and S.R. 15 north of the crossing is getting straightened.