A Lake Shore Drive For Lake County

Some opponents to the Illiana Expressway have expressed concerns that building a new interstate highway to reduce congestion on the Borman Expressway ( I-80 & I-94 ) will lead to further urban decline in Hammond, East Chicago, and Gary.

Says Lake County Commissioner Gerry Schueb:

"This really doesn't do anything for the tax base of Lake County, and it really doesn't do anything for jobs in Lake County," Scheub said. "As the north end of the county goes, so goes the rest of Lake County."

An alternative to building the Illiana Expressway would be the creation of a road modeled after Chicago's Lake Shore Drive, reports the Northwest Indiana Times.

While the creation of a Lake County Lake Shore Drive -- I envision a beautifully landscaped and maintained three lane highway running along the shores of Lake Michigan -- could do wonders for economic development in the north county area, I don't know if another route to Chicago would relieve east-west traffic that currently jams I-80 & I-94 because those cars and trucks aren't going to Chicago.

I like the idea of a Lake County Lake Shore Drive. Maybe plans for such a roadway could be incorporated into the Marquette Plan as proposed by Congressman Pete Visclosky. Maybe Indiana's Lake Shore Drive proposals could morph into a project to beautify US 20 and US 12 beginning at the county line in Miller and continuing westward.

Open Flood Gate Caused I-80 I-94 Flood

Last month's Borman Expressway flooding was caused by an open flapgate that allowed water from the Little Calumet River to block a major national east-west highway -- I-80 & I-94, reports the Northwest Indiana Times.

An open flapgate to the drainage system on the east side of Kennedy Avenue is believed to have contributed to last month's massive flooding on the Borman Expressway, officials said Monday.

The flapgate is designed to open and close automatically in response to the level of the Little Calumet River, according to representatives of the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The flapgate didn't close as it should have to stop the flow of the rising river, they said. And a backup system north of the flapgate, known as a sluice gate, was not closed until Tuesday, five days after the Borman was closed to traffic.

Borman Expressway Flood I-80 I-94 Little Calumet River US Army Corps of Engineers

Mexican Trucks Will Soon Be On The Borman Expressway

Mexican trucks will soon be traveling on Northwest Indiana's highways on their way to Canada and East Coast destinations now that the federal government has approved a pilot program allowing certain Mexican trucks to travel freely within the United States.

Mexican trucks NAFTA superhighway Borman Expressway I-80 I-94 free trade

9th Circuit Court Okay Mexican Trucks On US Highways

Mexican trucks could be rolling down the Borman Expressway in a few days now that a court has denied an appeal by opponents of a US government free trade plan to allow Mexican trucks into the United States.

The 9th Circuit Court of appeals rejected a challenge to a US DOT plan to allow Mexican trucks free access to US interstates as part of a pilot program.

The Borman Expressway in Northwest Indiana -- I-80 & I-94 -- could be one of the popular Mexico to Canada routes the newly admitted Mexican trucks might take while plying international free trade.

Writes John Crawley of Reuters:

The Bush administration can proceed with a plan to open the U.S. border to long haul Mexican trucks as early as next week after an appeals court rejected a bid by labor, consumer and environmental interests to block the initiative.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco late on Friday denied an emergency petition sought by the Teamsters union, the Sierra Club and consumer group Public Citizen to halt the start of a one-year pilot program that was approved by Congress after years of legal and political wrangling.

More links:

Mexican Trucks Could Hit US Interstates This Weekend

I-94 Plans Seek Mexico To Canada Superhighway

Borman Expressway Department of Transportation I-80 I-94 Mexican trucks NAFTA superhighway Northwest Indiana pilot program trucks

Mexican Trucks Could Hit US Interstates This Weekend

Trucks on the Borman Expressway.
New rules will allow some Mexican trucks
free travel throughout the United States.

A US Department of Transportation pilot program that would allow Mexican trucks to cross the US - Mexico border could begin this Labor Day weekend, reports Today's Trucking Online.

Five groups in the U.S. have filed lawsuits seeking an emergency stay of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's plan to proceed with the controversial Mexican truck pilot project as early as this Labor Day weekend.

The Teamsters union says it was told by FMCSA officials that the government agency intends to grant authority on Sept. 1 for Mexican trucks to drive beyond the 15-mile border zone throughout the entire United States.

"What a slap in the face to American workers -- opening the highways to dangerous trucks on Labor Day weekend, one of the busiest driving weekends of the year," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa.

It will be interesting to see what effect this has in the Northwest Indiana region as we have one of the busiest east - west transportation corridors -- I-80 and I-94 -- in the United States and is a major route for Mexico to Ontario, Canada traffic.



Borman Expressway NAFTA superhighway Mexican trucks pilot program Department of Transportation I-80 I-94 Northwest Indiana trucks

Is the Borman Expressway Design Flood Prone?

Is the Borman Expressway design flood prone?

The Northwest Indiana Times raises the question of does the Borman Expressway's new design contribute to flooding.

Indiana Department of Transportation officials defended their design of the newly reconstructed Borman Expressway, saying heavy rains were to blame.

But people who live and work nearby -- including Hammond's city engineer -- rejected the idea that the road was working like it should have.

Improper drainage, many locals contend, is what prompted the closure that backed up traffic for miles into Illinois and toward Porter County, and caused gridlock on may of the area's main arterial roads.

"I'm not an engineer, but I can tell you there's a problem. And it must be fixed," said Hammond City Councilman Dan Repay, whose district includes the flooded expressway and surrounding neighborhoods.

" The whole design of 80/94 has caused problems for residents from Hessville to Woodmar, and INDOT seems not to have a care in the world," Repay said.

Borman Expressway I-80 I-94 Flood interstate design flaw

Lesson Learned From Borman Expressway Flood -- Build the Illiana Expressway

The Great Borman Expressway Flood of '07

The Great Borman Expressway Flood of '07 shows the need to build the Illiana Expressway:

For naysayers, hoping that transportation problems will solve themselves by halting new road construction is faulty logic. When the Borman Expressway was closed, trucks and cars traveling from New York to California and points in between flowed into Northwest Indiana city streets seeking alternate routes.

And, it is foreseeable that accidents, roadwork, heavy snow, or any number of other reasons could block the Borman Expressway.

Borman Expressway traffic jam Illiana Expressway Flood Northwest Indiana I-80 I-94 I-65 I-57

Borman Expressway Traffic Flowing in Both Directions!

After a valiant fight to against flood waters, INDOT crews have won the battle against flood waters to reopen three lanes in each direction on I-80 & I-94 -- the Borman Expressway -- in Northwest Indiana.

The interstate highway's eastbound lanes had been blocked with flood waters earlier today.

Great job to all of the INDOT, emergency management, and other officials who spent countless hours during the last couple of days working hard to get life in Northwest Indiana back to normal.

Borman Expressway I-80 I-94 Kennedy Avenue flood Northwest Indiana three lanes open westbound eastbound INDOT traffic camera

Video -- Borman Expressway Flood

Video: Borman Expressway flood blocks eastbound lanes at Kennedy Avenue in Northwest Indiana. Crowds gather on Kennedy Avenue to watch INDOT flood clean up effort.



Borman Expressway Flood interstate I-80 I-94 Kennedy Avenue Chicago Northwest Indiana

Borman Expressway Update -- Three West Lanes Open While East Remains Flooded and Closed

Borman Expressway
flood update:

Three westbound Borman Expressway lanes are open Sunday afternoon. Eastbound lanes still completely blocked because of flood waters.

Borman Expressway Flood I-80 I-94 Kennedy Avenue interstate traffic jam Northwest Indiana

Borman Expressway Flooding Continues To Block Nation's Major East-West Route

Flood waters still block
the eastbound Borman Expressway
-- I-80 & I-94 -- Sunday morning.

Two westbound Borman Expressway
lanes remain blocked by flood waters
this Sunday morning.

The nation's major east-west highway -- interstates I-80 and I-94 -- remains crippled as its eastbound lanes remain blocked by high water that has flooded the roadway. Cars and trucks are being diverted onto Ridge Road -- a roadway that wasn't designed to handle the heavy demands of all of the interstate commerce that passes through The Region in Northwest Indiana.

Traffic heading westward to Chicago is getting through, but two lanes remain flooded and impassible this Sunday morning.

About this time, I'm sure the Borman Expressway's eastbound drivers were wishing there was an Illiana Expressway bypass.

Borman Expressway I-80 I-94 flood Northwest Indiana Highland Kennedy Avenue interstate

NW Indiana Flood Pictures

INDOT sign over I-65
northbound near 61st Avenue
advises the Borman Expressway
-- I-80 I-94 in Northwest Indiana --
remains closed on Saturday.

Flood water runs over Wisconsin Street
in Hobart, Indiana where it crosses Lake George.

Tech Tags: Borman+Expressway Wisconsin+Street I-80 I-94 flood Northwest+Indiana

All Lanes Flooded On Borman Expressway At Kennedy Avenue in Northwest Indiana

Flood water blocks all lanes
of the Borman Expressway
at Kennedy Avenue in Northwest Indiana

Flooding continues to cause traffic nightmares for travelers in Northwest Indiana traveling on the Borman Expressway -- I-80 & I-94 -- this morning as INDOT crews seek ways to drain the interstate highway.

Tech Tags: Borman+Expressway flooding I-80 I-94 Kennedy+Avenue Highland Indiana highway+closed all+lanes+closed

I-80 & I-94 Still Flooded At Kennedy Avenue

Flood water blocks Interstate 80-94
in Highland, Indiana (camera facing eastward).

Flooding still blocks eastbound Borman Expressway lanes (I-80 & I-94) to Chicago this afternoon -- at of 2:30 p.m. -- causing huge traffic delays for drivers.

INDOT camera facing
westward at Burr Avenue
at 2:26 p.m. Friday afternoon.

Tech Tags: Northwest+Indiana Borman+Expressway flooding I-80 I-94 traffic+jam Chicago

Borman Expressway Floods!

The Borman Expressway
(I-80 & I-94) Floods!

View of the interstate highway from INDOT's camera at Kennedy Avenue at Mile 3.3 earlier today.

Things aren't looking good as weather forecasters predict more rain later today.



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Tech Tags: Flood Borman+Expressway I+80 I+94 Kennedy Interstate

Avoid I-65 Backups At I-80 I-94 West Ramp

Avoid traffic tie-ups at Exit 259A I-65 North

Avoid traffic jams at the I-65 ramp to I-80 & I-94 westbound to Chicago with an easy little detour that saves time over the official detour.

Continue north on I-65 past the I-80 & I-94 westbound exit to Chicago. Take the second exit for eastbound I-80 & I-94 to Detroit and Toledo, exit 259B.

Once on I-80 I-94 eastbound, stay in the right lane and immediately exit at Central Avenue, exit 13, in Lake Station, Indiana.

Once at Central Avenue, go north under the I-80 & I-94 bridge, and take the on-ramp to I-80 & I-94 westbound.

It's an easy detour that saves time and gasoline.

Here's a link to a Google Map showing the area.



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