A New Anti Illiana Expressway Coalition Forms

The Citizens Against the Privatized Illiana Toll Road joined forces with the Interfaith Federation, Save The Dunes Council and the Duneland Sierra Club to urge a lobbying effort against the revised Illiana Expressway proposal that would build a new highway from I-65 to I-57 in Illinois, reports both the Post-Tribune and the Northwest Indiana Times.

Writes the Post-Tribune:

The group wanted a study to look at ways of revitalizing the urban communities in northern Lake County and to lessen congestion with mass transit, rather than building a new highway.

"There is a definite need for more funding for public transportation," said the Rev. Asher Harris, president of the Interfaith Council.

He called the coming together of the mixed group of activists a "powerful voice" to change the debate over the highway.

The NWI Times reports the alliance of North and South Lake County interests is historic.

"Today we are making history in Northwest Indiana," said the Rev. Asher Harris, president of the Interfaith Federation, a faith-based organization that focuses on creating equity and destroying concentrated poverty by effecting change in public policy and institutions.

"This is the first time citizen groups from Lake County and Porter County -- north and south -- have come together to speak with one powerful voice," Harris said.

The anti Illiana Expressway Toll Road coalition wants to stop Indiana Senate Bill 1 this year.

Yesterday, CAPIT backed away from one key ingredient that might be necessary to get buses and trains rolling -- a new tax supported by the mass transit supporters.

Maybe the compromise to make everyone happy will be to make plans for the eventual expansion of the Borman Expressway when it fills up with cross-country and Canada-to-Mexico traffic by obtaining additional right-of-way space north of the current highway since wetlands are located to the south. Express and local lanes could be added -- with maybe dedicated lanes for cross-country trucks. Additional lane capacity in the form of reversible lanes could also be an option for times when there are many outbound commuters or when truck traffic is heavy.

Continually improving the Borman Expressway would provide economic development opportunities for North Lake County as well as keeping the traffic flowing through Lake County.

In addition, maybe an on-demand jitney service could connect Gary, East Chicago, and Hammond with Valparaiso, Lowell, as well as other rural areas that have traditionally been under served by mass transit in the area, but that can't support full-fledged bus service yet.

Such a service would allow rural residents to access Lake County casinos, Indiana University Northwest, and Purdue University Calumet without the need to drive their cars. Routes could travel to both Porter Hospital campuses, Valparaiso University, and all of the cities and town in Porter County. A Lake County link to Porter County hospitals is important to serve patients and their families when they are hospitalized at Porter.

Links with the Gary Public Transportation Corporation should also be incorporated to provide residents with links to Illinois' Pace system, as well as the South Shore Line to build on the strength of existing mass transit systems.

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Interfaith+Federation Save+The+Dunes Dunelands+Sierra+Club
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