Illiana Expressway

The Times of Northwest Indiana reports that an Indiana House committee has approved Illiana Expressway legislation.  The bill now goes to the full House for a vote.  The Indiana Senate had passed its own version of Illiana Expressway legislation earlier.

Writes Dan Carden:

Legislation authorizing the Illiana Expressway was approved by a House committee Monday after several changes were made to the Senate-version of the proposal.

The changes require an economic impact study be conducted before the state begins to solicit bids for the proposed toll road connecting Interstate 65 in Lake County with Interstate 55 in Illinois. Public hearings would also have to be held before and after an operator is selected.

State Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, also persuaded the committee to add a requirement that the department of transportation negotiate in good faith with the selected bidder to protect the economic interests of local governments. Local government approval of the project would not be required.

The Northwest Indiana Pundit opines that the Illiana Expressway agreement with any private entity should have a clause that would open it to traffic during times of emergency.

Lake Co. Council candidate Eric Krieg weighs in on the proposed Illiana Expressway with a couple of blog posts:

What’s the Illiana really about?

Illiana propoganda section in the Hammond Times today