Why is Indiana in two time zones? (Indianapolis, Evansville: live, move)

[Pincho-toot]

I was looking at a time zone map and noticed how Indiana in general is in the EST but 2 random pockets are in central time. Also the UP of Michigan is mostly Eastern but the part near Wisconsin is central. Why not make the whole state in one time zone, same for Indiana? Or at least split it in half instead of in such an awkward way. Does navigating the state get confusing with the time changes?

[nightlysparrow]

Actually, 3 zones! This mess has been going on a long time.

"It is, in effect, the only state with three time zones, because the Central is divided between two pockets in far corners of the state, separated by nearly 300 miles of Eastern. This curious phenomenon accommodates counties in the southwest and northwest, near the border of Illinois, a Central-time state."

Not on Her Watch: One Woman's Fight to Change Indiana's Time Zone

[rrah]

Those 2 pockets are not random. NW IN is on central time due to proximity to Chicago. The Evansville area is on Central because it's close to other IL which is on Central time and Western KY also on Central time.

I've never had an issue navigating because the change is only plus/minus an hour.

That said, geographically the state should be on Central time. Our last governor wanted it on Eastern time and got his wish.

[Toxic Toast]

The dividing line between Eastern and Central should really be in Ohio. I wish we were all on one time zone, I don't care which.

[baileyvpotter]

This was a big debate back in 2006. Notre Dame and South Bend wanted Central time but
Gov. Daniels made the decision that area had closer ties to Elkhart.
Indiana Time Zone Article


and Indiana's southern neighbor, Kentucky, has 2 time zones.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ezones.svg.png

[Pincho-toot]

Originally Posted by baileyvpotter

This was a big debate back in 2006. Notre Dame and South Bend wanted Central time but
Gov. Daniels made the decision that area had closer ties to Elkhart.
Indiana Time Zone Article


and Indiana's southern neighbor, Kentucky, has 2 time zones.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ezones.svg.png

Kentucky makes sense considering it stretches far from east to west, but Indiana does not.

Our time zones are quite strange. Even Kansas, a state with a perfectly straight western border, decides to partially share a time zone with Colorado.

[baileyvpotter]

^^^
But, to the south Tennessee also has two different time zones. 2/3rds of Tennessee is on Central Time
and almost one half of Kentucky is also. It's strange since cities in Tennessee's Eastern Time Zone
and Kentucky's Central TZ can be only 5 or 10 miles apart and that would have a one-hour difference.

[KerrTown]

Why not reverse the time zone change by having Indiana in Central Time except for counties bordering Ohio? Maybe move the two pockets to the opposite side (NE and SE) and make them pockets for Eastern Time instead?

My new map would roughly have the counties of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area and the western half of the state on Central Time and the eastern counties not in the Indianapolis Metro area on Eastern Time. Basically the 1961 map on Wikipedia but with the notch that is Indianapolis Metro being on Central Time instead of Eastern Time as depicted.

[indy_317]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Why not reverse the time zone change by having Indiana in Central Time except for counties bordering Ohio? Maybe move the two pockets to the opposite side (NE and SE) and make them pockets for Eastern Time instead?

My new map would roughly have the counties of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area and the western half of the state on Central Time and the eastern counties not in the Indianapolis Metro area on Eastern Time. Basically the 1961 map on Wikipedia but with the notch that is Indianapolis Metro being on Central Time instead of Eastern Time as depicted.

The main complaint is that the entire state isn't on one time zone, as is the current case. However, if the SE portion of the state will always stay eastern, then the only reason to push for that change becomes a personal preference and not having the entire state on one time zone. Indiana will always have two time zones, I don't see what the issue is. Areas around Chicago and SW Indiana are going to want to stay on KY and IL times. Areas that border Ohio, especially those near Cincinnati and Louisville, are going to want to stay on the time zones for those areas. The whole argument has nothing to do with putting the entire state under one zone, it has to do with personal preference depending on where the person lives and what times they want the sun to be in the sky.

[Greymatter46]

ALL of China uses only one time zone!


If they can do it why can't Indiana?
Very strange... but it makes a good bar bet, yeah?