Comment period ends

The debate over an extension of Interstate 69 between Indianapolis and Evansville moved to a decisive stage yesterday with the end of the public comment period on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement released by the Indiana Department of Transportation last July. \nThe DEIS identified five routes for an extension of the highway and measured the costs and benefits -- in terms of economic, environmental, traffic and other criteria, as well as the construction costs of the five routes -- of each. Four of these routes are further broken down into three alternatives each. At the end of the DEIS, INDOT recommends five preferred routes.\n"I'm very pleased with the way it has gone," Lyle Sadler said, referring to the public comment process. Sadler, INDOT's I-69 Project Manager, estimated that the department received over 5,000 comments from all over the state. \nNow that the public comment period is finished, INDOT will analyze all the comments and data in the DEIS to recommend construction of a single route to Governor O'Bannon, who has final authority on which route the interstate should take.\n"Most of the comments we've received basically gave a preference for a particular route," Sadler said. "Overwhelmingly, people support an extension someplace. It's a matter of where. Most comments have been split between a more direct route and 70/41."\nThis split is the reason why placement of the highway has been a crucible for dissension and organizing efforts against the highway. INDOT favors five routes that are "new terrain:" that is, the highways would would be built from scratch and cut through farms, forests, over streams and other land across southwestern Indiana that is currently undeveloped. \nRoute 4C, for example, which follows a fairly direct route between Indianapolis and Evansville, achieves two of the DEIS's "core goals:" travel time savings between the two cities and high improvements of international movement of freight. \nBut building 4C requires the highest impacts on farmland, wetland and floodplains, as well as crossing the most number of streams. 4C would cost the state between 1.34 and 1.50 billion dollars. \nCitizens for Appropriate Rural Roads and County Under New Terrain (COUNT US), two citizen's groups opposed to new terrain construction, have advocated for 70/41 because of its relatively low environmental impacts and cost. The low end construction estimate for 70/41 is around 800 million. \nAt a benefit Thursday evening at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater over 300 citizens rallied against the new terrain proposal. \n"All it boils down to is we don't need it," Victoria Burke, secretary for the Association of Monroe County Taxpayers, said.\nResidents from Monroe and Owen counties met at the benefit, which was held by several groups opposing the highway, including CARR, COUNT US, Hoosier Environmental Council and Environmental Law and policy center. \n"I'm tired of being screwed by politicians," John Blair said as he rallied the crowd.\nEven though this is the last day for public comment John Loveland wants continuing support.\n"This isn't the end of anything; it is the beginning," he said.\nThe I-69 route running through Bloomington is the most destructive to the environment, Blair said.\nJohn Smith of COUNT US also attended the meeting. The houses on the direct route and anything within 1,000 feet will be destroyed, which is approximately 400 houses, he said.\n"If you go any other route there is total all access highway," Smith said. "There are no houses on I-70."\nSmith's house happens to be within 1200 feet of the route chosen for the new terrain.\n"I have no interest in leaving my house," he said.\nFocusing on the environment and the residents living in Southern Indiana, Smith said that IDOT has opposite priorities, focusing on core values of business and time. Their whole study was based on time and money. \n"They call it an environmental impact study," he said. "To me it should be called an economic speed study." \nAt the benefit the people had the chance to send their thoughts and voice their opinions through letter writing and e-mail stations set up in the lobby.\nResidents like Robin Larsen of Monroe County, urged the Governor to "Stop now and listen to the people."\n"We don't need it!" said Burke. "Don't waste the money. Use it where we need it, on people not roads"