Meeting sparks I-69 debate

Six hours before the public comment period on connecting State Road 37 into Interstate 69 ended, representatives of the Indiana Department of Transportation opened a meeting to gather feedback on the subject.

Thirty-six hours before, they announced the meeting and its location. County
Councilwoman Cheryl Munson was one of the speakers to voice her concern at the process.

“Many members of the county council did not know of this meeting and have not had an opportunity to read over the material,” Munson said. “We’re supposed to have notices of meetings (like this) 10 to 14 days in advance.”

The project will turn areas near Chambers Pike into four lane highways. Each lane will be about 12 feet long. In the Indiana Finance Authority’s initial request to build the project, the IFA listed economic development and relief of traffic congestion on SR 37 among their goals. But Bloomington residents are concerned about the cost of these goals.

Mark Goll owns property near the areas of the project.

“I think I’m affected by this,” Goll said. “I haven’t been given much information. I think I should be told if a four lane road is going to go through my yard.”

While one INDOT representative browsed her phone, person after person stood up front asking for answers. During his statement, Steve Brewer asked how many people had found out about the meeting on Friday. At least a dozen people raised their hands.

“What do we have the power to stop?” Brewer asked the INDOT representatives.

None of them replied. Ricky Clark, the representative who was guiding the meeting, explained that it was not being run in a question-and-answer style, and emphasized that its purpose was “to solicit public comment on IFA’s behalf.”

Thomas Malapit, an attorney specializing in imminent domain law, said that the meeting was not for the benefit of the people present.

“This is an exercise,” Malapit said. “They’re doing this to follow the statute so they can say that they did it. The train has already left the station.”

Director of Media Relations for INDOT Will Wingfield said there were advantages to the way that the project is being handled. Having private companies handle the project will encourage quality work, he said.

“It ensures that they are in it for the long haul,” Wingfield said.

Wingfield said the I-69 project could improve the quality of the existing highway.

“A lot of (SR) 37 could use some re-doing,” Wingfield said.

The IFA opened up the topic for public comment on Feb. 21. As of midnight Monday, comments on the matter will no longer be accepted, and the decision for the project will be released on Wednesday. 

If the project is approved, Isolux Infrastructure, a company based in Spain, will do the construction work.

Sandra Tokarski said she believed the way the project was being handled was scandalous.

“When I have called a number of elected officials and they say they didn’t know about it until I told them, that’s a scandal,” she said.

The IFA was not represented at the meeting, though they originally put through the request for the construction of the interstate.

Wingfield said INDOT was acting on behalf of the IFA.

“We are their designees,” he said.

Because some of the changes are going to affect roads near a middle school and through already developed neighborhoods, some residents are skeptical that the project is actually for the benefit of Bloomington and its people.

Even though the meeting was judged by several to be futile, Malapit said there was one thing that could be done.

“What can you do now?” he said. “Get your just compensation.”