The Indiana Department of Transportation has issued a permit for briefly closing all lanes of Interstate 65 early Thursday morning so utility crews can install a new fiber optic line.

The line will cross the interstate at the County Road 700N overpass in Jackson County.

Beginning at 5 a.m. Thursday, southbound I-65 traffic will be slowed by a “rolling roadblock” at mile-marker 61.5, south of the State Road 58/Walesboro exit.

Motorists traveling northbound on I-65 will be impacted at mile-marker 41 near the State Road 250/Uniontown exit.

Slow-moving pilot vehicles will reduce traffic speeds to about 20 mph, creating a 20-minute traffic void on I-65 at the installation site.

During this time, Yates Engineering of Bloomington plans to attach new fiber optic cable spanning I-65 to existing poles. Operations have been contracted by the Zayo Group, the fiber optic supplier. The new line will provide fiber connectivity to a nearby cell tower.

The on-ramps from U.S. 50 to the interstate and State Road 11 to the interstate will be closed until the pilot passes, said Harry Maginity, INDOT spokesman.

Inclement weather could postpone Thursday’s operations.