CAPIT Vows To Continue Illiana Fight

Despite news that Gov. Mitch Daniels has decided to drop plans to build the Illiana Expressway Toll Road east of I-65, CAPIT vows to continue their fight, according Dave Ahlberg on the group's No Illiana Toll Road message board (free Yahoo membership required).

This is not good news for our friends in Lowell and other areas of Lake County. We cannot endorse this project for most, if not all of the reasons we objected to the eastern part of the Illiana Toll Road.

Any studies need to be an unbiased look at the transportation, economic, social, and environmental needs of the Lake, Porter, and LaPorte County areas. We are participating in a press conference next week with the Sierra Club and the Interfaith League, among others, in support of mass transit and urban re-development. We will continue with all of our plans until we are sure that the Illiana Toll Road is dead and buried.

If the Governor is being honest with us about public "discussion" changing his mind about proceeding with these projects, then congratulations and thanks to all of you who stepped up, you are making a difference!

We have not "won", no celebrations or congratulations please! We still have to continue to work hard to make sure we finish the job.

Dave

News of the Gov. Mitch Daniels' announcement that the Illiana won't be built east of I-65 means the Illiana Expressway Toll Road likely will be built.

There is less opposition to the plan in Lake County, Indiana because the road construction promises more union employment and economic development for an area of Indiana that often feels neglected by the rest of the state.

It will be interesting to see if the opponents to the Illiana Expressway Toll Road will be able to continue with the same intensity they've had during the past couple of weeks since many no longer have a personal stake in the legislation.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Toll+Road+Expressway CAPIT SB1 Indiana+Senate+Bill+1 Transportation Interstate Highway Northwest+Indiana

Gov. Daniels Drops Illiana Plan East Of I-65

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels drops plans to build the Illiana Expressway Toll Road east of I-65, reports Advance Indiana.

In a letter to lawmakers he withdrew the plan (to build the Indiana Commerce Connector), along with a proposal to build a new Illiana expressway east of I-65 in northwest Indiana, in response to overwhelming public opposition to it. Daniels is, however, continuing the push for an Illiana expressway west of I-65 linking northwest Indiana to Illinois.

The Indianapolis Star printed Gov. Daniels' letter to Indiana lawmakers:

“Like you, I have been paying close attention to the vigorous public discussion around my proposal to explore new privately funded bypass roads in Northwest and Central Indiana. After legislative action to date, some forty public meetings, and lots of other open debate, it is clear to me that we are far from the degree of consensus that is necessary before embarking on major public works projects of high local impact.

“Accordingly, I withdraw the suggestion that any action be taken on an Indiana Commerce Connector, or an Illiana Expressway east of I-65. Either of these ideas might benefit from further research, and I would welcome some form of that if your committees are so inclined. But the people of the affected areas have spoken clearly enough to persuade me that these ideas are, at best, premature.

“By contrast, an Illiana bypass from I-65 west seems to be broadly supported and can, I hope, be given the chance to move forward.

“I appreciate the citizenship of everyone who participated in these two debates. We must never be afraid to venture new ideas for fear of controversy; a state that does that will surely stagnate. But we must also never assume that every new idea is a good one, or imperative to act on immediately.

“I hope that you will reshape the legislation along the above lines, but am happy to work with you on whatever approach you deem best for the interests of our state.”

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Toll+Road+Expressway CAPIT SB1 Indiana+Senate+Bill+1 Transportation Interstate Highway Northwest+Indiana

Would Not Studying Illiana Expressway Be Irresponsible?

INDOT's commissioner says Indiana would be irresponsible to not study building the proposed Illiana Expressway Toll Road and predicts that traffic on the Borman Expressway (Interstate 80 and I-94) will be jammed like it was late last century before improvements were recently completed.

Reports the AP via Construction Equipment Guide:

Indiana would be irresponsible if it didn’t at least look at whether there is a need for a proposed highway that would connect Interstate 94 in northwestern Indiana with Interstate 57 in Illinois, the state Department of Transportation commissioner said Feb.7 .

Karl Browning said if the state doesn’t take a close look now at building the Illiana Expressway to try to relieve traffic in northwest Indiana, the Borman Expressway (Interstate 80/94) likely will have the same traffic tie-ups in a decade that it faced before undergoing recent improvements.

Tech Tags: Illiana, Illiana+Toll+Road+Expressway, CAPIT, SB1, Indiana+Senate+Bill+1, Transportation, Interstate, Highway, Northwest+Indiana

Will Hobart & Merrillville Businesses Suffer If Illiana Is Built?

While the economic benefits of the Illiana Expressway Toll Road are touted by supporters, naysayers predict declines in businesses currently located in the vicinity of I-65 and U.S. 30:

From the CAPIT No Illiana Toll Road message board (free Yahoo membership required):

Look what happened to Gary after I-65 was built in the late 60's--everything moved to I-65 and Rt. 30. ...

A local engineering company, long time NIRPC meeting attendee on the pro road side told me the US 30 and I-65 development would eventually move down to the Illiana after a NIRPC meeting recently.

Hobart and Merrillville should wake up before this becomes their fate. Portage, Michigan City, and other communities aren't safe from disinvestment either. ...

Would the Illiana Toll Road Expressway cause divestment from the I-65 / U.S. 30 areas?

It's a good question because everyone in Lake County supports strengthening the economy in all parts of the county. The key question for Lake County residents and leaders is whether the Illiana Expressway Toll Road can bring more economic development that benefits the whole county, without harming the northern areas.

Would the fact that the Illiana Expressway would be a toll road mitigate the risk by encouraging motorists to stay on the highway until they reached their desired destinations -- whether they are arriving home in Northwest Indiana from their job in Illinois, driving a truck delivering goods to a distribution center, or passing through on their way to New York from California or Toronto to Memphis?

Tech Tags: Illiana, Illiana+Toll+Road+Expressway, CAPIT, SB1, Indiana+Senate+Bill+1, Transportation, Interstate, Highway, Northwest+Indiana

A CAPIT Westville Meeting Report

George Malis from CAPIT's No Illiana Toll Road message board (free Yahoo subscription req'd) reports about the anti-Illiana meeting earlier this week in Westville:

Many boxes of letters got mailed to legislators
as a result of the organized campaign.

Hundreds of petitions were signed and turned in.

Lots of t-shirts and yard signs were sold.

Citizens donated hard earned cash to help hold
the Governor to his word of NOT pursuing the Illiana
proposal if it's NOT wanted.

The citizens at the Westville meeting spoke loud
and clear regarding the proposed toll road:
WE DON'T WANT IT,
WE DON'T NEED IT,
WE WON'T USE IT.

The message was also heard 1st hand by
the Mayor of LaPorte and the LaPorte State Rep.
Emotions ran high and expressions of
elected officials "lack of representation"
spoken.

Tech Tags: Illiana, Illiana+Toll+Road+Expressway, CAPIT, SB1, Indiana+Senate+Bill+1, Transportation, Interstate, Highway, Northwest+Indiana

Scrap Plans For Illiana Expressway East Of I-65?

The Times of Northwest Indiana's Mike Clark says its time to scrap plans to build the Illiana Expressway Toll Road east of I-65 since that's where all of the opposition lives while supporters live west of Interstate 65.

Build it as first conceived, from I-57 to I-65.

It is becoming clearer by the day that the towns along the original route, including Beecher in Illinois and Cedar Lake and Crown Point in Indiana, are bullish on the project and the economic development it would spur.

And the Illiana seems finally to be a priority in at least one state capital, with Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels lending his support to the long-in-the-planning road.

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has a few other things on his plate right now, including multiple scandals in his administration. But in Springfield and Washington, momentum is building for the Illiana as well among legislators in both parties.

With the window of opportunity being propped open, it's time for Daniels to admit that his late revise to the Illiana route -- extending it from I-65 to I-94 in LaPorte County -- has no future.

Just as the push for the Illiana in Illinois' Will County and Indiana's Lake County gains traction, the idea of expanding the road east through Porter County seems more and more a nonstarter.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Illiana Opponents Start Letter Writing Campaign

The Herald Argus reports Illiana Expressway Toll Road opponents have started writing their legislators urging them to oppose the proposed highway. But, it remains to be seen if the letter writing campaign will sway legislators.

CAPIT -- Citizens Against the Privatized Illiana Toll Road -- held a meeting yesterday in Westville and passed out form letters to the 400 people gathered to mail to their legislators. The CAPIT website, no-illiana.com, also provides tools to mass email all Indiana legislators.

Reports the Herald Argus:

Residents are unsure if the letters will have the desired income.

“Some (lawmakers) will see it as a mass letter and won’t give it the due diligence it deserves. But I would hope some would be moved by them,” Brian said.

It remains to be seen if State Rep. Tom Dermody, R-La Porte, will be moved by the letters.

Dermody, the only state legislator to attend Thursday’s meeting, supports the idea of conducting a study to determine a route for the roadway, but said he’s against the governor having ultimate authority in deciding the route.

But he’s also against voting down the legislation based on displeasure from residents that may or may not be affected.

“We don’t even know what the route is. How can you say no when you don’t know what you are saying no to?” he asked.

If projections of increasing congestion on I-94 are accurate, Dermody said a solution to highway congestion in northwest Indiana will have to be found.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Northwest Indiana Forum Supports Illiana Expressway

The Northwest Indiana Times reports that the Northwest Indiana Forum is supporting the Illiana Expressway Toll Road.

The Northwest Indiana Forum, representing 120 companies and organizations in the region, has announced it supports a study of the proposed Illiana Expressway.

The Forum cited the essential nature of improved transportation in creating jobs, attracting industry, enhancing productivity and keeping up with global competitiveness in endorsing the study.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway+Toll+Road Indiana+Senate+Bill+1 Public+Private+Toll+Roads Transportation

Blue Indiana Wary Of Privatization

Thomas at Blue Indiana is wary of privatizing government operations, but is undecided on the question of building the Illiana Expressway Toll Road.

I am obviously wary of the Governor's efforts to privatize our public infrastructure, but I honestly don't have much of an opinion as of yet on whether the Illiana should be built at all.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway+Toll+Road Indiana+Senate+Bill+1 Public+Private+Toll+Roads Transportation

Breaker 1-9, It's A CAPIT Convoy!

Citizens Against the Privatized Illiana Tollroad plan to mount their steel steeds and hit the interstate in a convoy to Indianapolis to protest the building of another highway -- the proposed Illiana Expressway Toll Road, reports The Northwest Indiana Times.

For a group formed just 40 days ago, Citizens Against the Privatized Illiana Toll Road certainly seems to have gathered momentum. The organization's next step is to coordinate a convoy of area residents to Indianapolis to attend the next House Transportation Committee hearing on Senate Bill 1. The hearing is tentatively scheduled for April 4.

Tech Tags: Illiana, Illiana Expressway Toll Road, Illiana+Legislation Indiana+Senate+Bill+1 Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads Highways

South Bend Tribune Supports Illiana Expressway

The South Bend Tribune throws its support in favor of the Illiana Expressway Toll Road.

A proposal that would authorize the state to proceed with plans for the construction of the Illiana Expressway deserves the support of the Indiana House. ...

The expressway has long been viewed as needed. The Indiana Department of Transportation estimates 300,000 vehicles travel between Indiana and Chicago each day using the Borman, U.S. 6, U.S. 30, the Indiana Toll Road and local streets. Some officials believe a new expressway would reduce truck traffic on U.S. 30 by 59 percent and on the Borman by 22 percent. Such reductions would significantly improve public safety.

Plans for the Illiana Expressway deserve to move forward.

Tech Tags: Illiana, Illiana Expressway Toll Road, Illiana+Legislation Indiana+Senate+Bill+1 Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads Highways

Illiana Expressway Blog Round Up

Daltons Briefs over at Porter County Politics has an Illiana Toll Blogs round-up today highlighting what's being written about the proposed Illiana Expressway.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway+Toll+Road Porter+County+Politics

Vernon Smith Against S.B. 1?

CAPIT's Yahoo message board is reporting that Rep. Vernon Smith, (D-Gary) wrote a member saying he is presently against the Indiana Senate Bill 1.

Cheryl Schultz writes that she received an email from Rep. Smith:

Here's the e-mail I received:

Presently, I am opposed to SB 1. I will keep your views in mind should the bill come before the House for a vote.

Respectfully yours,
Dr. Vernon G. Smith

Tech Tags: Illiana+Expressway Illiana Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Indiana+Senate+Bill+1 Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Citizens Against The Privatized Illiana Toll Road To Meet Tonight

Citizens Against The Illiana Privatized Toll Road is holding a meeting tonight at Westville High School at 7 p.m.

Tech Tags: Illiana+Expressway Illiana Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Indiana+Senate+Bill+1 Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Valpo Chamber Of Commerce Supports Illiana Expressway Study

The Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce passes a resolution urging a study of the effects of building the proposed Illiana Expressway Toll Road.

According to a resolution passed by the Chamber of Commerce, the "Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce supports the complete and accurate study of the effects of the Illiana Expressway on Northwest Indiana and its impact on the quality of life, environment, economic development, transportation, and growth of Valparaiso and Northwest Indiana."

Source: NWI.com

Writes the Valpo Chamber in a news release:

The Board of Directors of the Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce took a position in support of a feasibility study concerning the need for a new arterial highway to ease the congestion on the Borman Expressway.

This position supports the complete and accurate study of the effects of the proposed Illiana Expressway and its impact on the quality of life, environment, economic development, transportation, and growth of Valparaiso and Northwest Indiana.

“A new highway through LaPorte, Porter, and Lake Counties will have significant impact on this region,” explained Rex Richards, president of the Valpo Chamber. “It is critical to gather the necessary facts to make an informed decision.”

The proposed Illiana Expressway, connecting I-57 in Illinois and I-94 in Indiana, would be publically owned but built with private funds, not tax dollars, and operated under contract as a tollroad. The highway was conceived to help relieve increasing traffic congestion in Northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland area.

Tech Tags: Illiana+Expressway Illiana Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Indiana+Senate+Bill+1 Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Foreign Investment In Illiana Toll Road Expressway Defended

George Mrak defends plans to allow foreign investment in the proposed Illiana Expressway Toll Road pointing to foreign ownership of various Northwest Indiana businesses, including Mittal Steel, BP Amoco, Westfield Shopping Town Southlake Mall, and the Indiana-American Water Company.

From Mrak's letter in the Chesterton Tribune:

All these businesses provide jobs and services for many Americans, even to you, your friends, and neighbors. Foreign investment in this country has a beneficial effect on our economy, and suggesting that it would be detrimental to the building and operation of a toll road is fear-mongering at its worst – look up xenophobia in the dictionary.

Tech Tags: Illiana+Expressway Illiana Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Indiana+Senate+Bill+1 Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Why The Fuss Over SB1, If It Isn't Needed?

Shelby County Truth writes that INDOT officials are saying legislation isn't needed to conduct an Illiana Toll Road study.

Here is a very interesting article about the Illiana Toll Road proposal from the Northwest Indiana Times.

Apparently, INDOT representatives now say that SB 1 is not needed for the purpose of conducting a study.

Shelby County Truth pointed this out weeks ago, when the supporters of the ICC Toll Road trumpeted SB1 as calling for “just a study.”

The fact is, the state of Indiana does not need legislative approval to do feasibility study of either toll road proposal. As the INDOT representative points out, SB 1 is for the purpose of authorizing the building, and selling of the roads.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Indiana+Senate+Bill+1 INDOT

NWI.com Online Poll Shows Illiana Support

NWI.com's online poll "Should the Indiana Department of Transportation do a study on whether to build the Illiana Expressway?" is showing respondents are in favor of the study 64% (285) to 36% (162), as of Wednesday, about 2:10 p.m.

This is despite messages on CAPIT's bulletin board encouraging its membership to vote "No."

Tech Tags: Illiana+Online+Opinion+POll Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road

No-Illiana CAPIT Group Meeting 3-22

Just a FYI: Citizens Against the Private Illiana Toll Road will be meeting at Westville High School March 22 at 7 p.m., according to their message board at No-Illiana-Tollroad.com.

Tags: CAPIT No-Illiana Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road

EZ-Pass Coming Soon To Indiana Toll Road

The EZ-Pass system will be active at the Indiana Toll Road by May, according to the Northwest Indiana Times. Drivers with an I-Zoom system transponder will get a 40% discount over the cash fare. While the Illinois Toll Road authority's I-Pass will work on the Indiana Toll Road, drivers using those transponders won't get the I-Zoom discount, reports The Times.

The Indiana Toll Road E-ZPass will go by the name I-Zoom, just as Illinois has I-Pass.

Cars and motorcycles with I-Zoom transponders will get a 40 percent discount on the new, higher tolls, which should be in effect by year-end.

The I-Zoom transponders also will operate on the Illinois Tollway, Chicago Skyway, and other E-ZPass toll roads in 10 other states.

Illinois residents will be able to use their I-Pass transponders on the Indiana Toll Road. But to get the 40 percent discount they will have to get I-Zoom transponders.

I-Zoom transponders will go on sale in May. Transponders will be available for a one-time charge of $10 to $12, Pierce said.

I-Zoom tolling will be installed on the entire 157-mile toll road by the end of the year, Pierce said. It will cost $40 million to install the E-ZPass system.

The E-ZPass Interagency Group, of Atlantic City, N.J., voted this week to accept ITR Concession Co. as a full member.

The Northwest Indiana Times article didn't mention if there were plans to construct open road tolling lanes like that offered on the Illinois Toll Road.

Tags: Indiana+Toll+Road I-Zoom I-Pass EZ-Pass electronic+toll+collection

Will Union Support Win Over Democrat Votes For Illiana?

Porter County Politics blog asks if union support will save the Illiana Toll Road proposal from defeat.

Just when it looks like Governor Daniels has had it with Northwest Indiana, throws up his hands and pronounces "why work so hard for them, they didn't elect me anyway." the unions join hands to pull their democratic pals into line.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

A 1990 Study Suggests Illiana Won't Cure Borman Congestion

The Post-Tribune reports that a 1990 study commissioned by Sen. Richard Lugar found that building the Illiana Toll Road would not solve Borman Expressway congestion problems because most of the I80-I94 traffic was local.

A study conducted in the early 1990s concluded that an Illiana-like expressway wouldn't single-handedly solve congestion problems on the Borman Expressway.

The Interstate 94 Congestion Relief Study considered several options including construction of an east-west suburban expressway, removing the tolls from the Skyway and Indiana Toll Road, and expanding the Borman to either eight or 10 lanes. In 1991, the Borman contained six lanes.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads