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Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Ind. Gov't. - More on: Governor's Illiana and Commerce Connector proposals under fire

Theodore Kim of the Indianapolis Star reported this afternoon on this morning's Senate Commitee meeting on SB 1 (see this morning's ILB entry here):

A key Senate committee is expected to vote next week on legislation, SB 1, that would allow the Daniels administration to pursue private toll roads in Central and Northwest Indiana.

At a Statehouse hearing today, the Senate Homeland Security, Transportation and Veterans Affairs committee took about two hours of testimony from supporters and opponents of the two projects.

One project, the 75-mile Indiana Commerce Connector, would begin around I-69 near Pendleton and run clockwise east and south of Indianapolis to I-70 near the Indianapolis International Airport.

A second effort, the Illiana Expressway, would begin at I-94 near Michigan City and run in a clockwise loop to I-55 in Illinois.

Daniels wants to have private companies pay for, build, operate and collect tolls on the roads. Both projects require legislative approval.

A parade of business and government officials offered support for the projects today.

"Senate Bill 1 is a bold initiative and it is right on the money," said Karl Browning, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Transportation.

But opponents raised environmental concerns, questions about whether the projects would encourage sprawl and other fears.

Rebecca Morrison, a 50-year-old Franklin literacy coach, said she thought the tolls on the commerce connector would repel, rather than attract, traffic.

"I personally avoid toll roads like the plague," she said.

The meeting of the Homeland Security, Transportation & Veterans Affairs turned out to be viewable online via steaming video, but unfortunately the Senate does not archive any of its video, so if you didn't catch it this morning, you are out of luck.

I did watch it, but only because I thought at the least minute that I'd check to see if it was online, and there it was. It lasted for several hours. Senate Wyss does a nice job as a commitee chair insofar as giving everyone an opportunity to speak. However, he did schedule the "pro" speakers first, so there was about one and a half hours of mayors, local economic development types, and many many unions and trades speaking in favor of the two expressways. By the time that was over most of the committee members had stepped out.

The citizens speakers were mostly, if not all, from central Indiana. One noted that she didn't know citizens could speak at these meetings, and had only found out at the last minute. (Unfortunately, many committee meetings are held in small crowded rooms where citizens may not even be able to find standing room, much less an opportunity to testify.)

Many complained of the "new terrain" or "greenfields" routes selected for both proposed new toll roads. Members of the public also referenced the route for completion of I-69 and last year's sale of the Indiana Toll Road.

Legal issues brought up by citizens included the language in the last year's Toll Road law limiting the construction of nearby competing roads, and language in SB 1 that provides that once the legislation has been approved, the General Assembly will have no further involvement in the projects. One speaker called this an end run around the democratic process.

Reacting to the earlier speakers in favor of the roads who talked of the new jobs that would come in the building of the highways, a citizen remarked that they were talking about a temporary job for a bull-dozer driver vs. putting a family of farmers out of business forever.

After the testimony, some of the committee members asked questions of the INDOT representative.

Senator Wyss concluded the meeting, indicating that the commitee would reconvene on SB 1 next week, at which time a vote would most likely be taken. He asked members to get any proposed amendments in in plenty of time for the other members to review them.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on January 23, 2007 05:02 PM
Posted to Indiana Government