Lawmakers form coalition to promote I-69 route

INDIANAPOLIS -- Four state lawmakers have formed a coalition to promote the use of Interstate 70 and U.S. 41 as the extension of Interstate 69 between Indianapolis and Evansville.\n"Indiana faces a big decision over the coming months that will have major long-term impacts on our state's budget, taxes, farms and forests," the lawmakers said in a letter asking others to join their cause.\n"Studies have shown that the I-70/U.S. 41 route would save thousands of acres of fast-disappearing farmland, save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and avoid destruction of important wildlife habitat areas."\nThe four lawmakers, calling their group "Legislators for a Fiscally Responsible I-69," are Sen. Beverly Gard, R-Greenfield; Sen. Mark Blade, D-Terre Haute; Rep. Bob Cherry, R-Greenfield; and Rep. Vern Tincher, D-Riley.\nThe Indiana Department of Transpor-tation is weighing five possible routes to build the interstate, among them a proposal to place the highway farther east of the I-70/U.S. 41 route and run it through largely undeveloped rural territory. A decision is expected sometime this year.\nMembers of the coalition said they want to ensure that the I-70/U.S. 41 route gets fair consideration in the Department of Transportation's route selection process.\nTheir letter said Indiana has lost 1 million acres of farmland since 1990, the fastest decline in state history, and INDOT's decision could hasten more loss of farmland.\n"My biggest concern is going through virgin farmland and forests and that sort of thing," Gard said. "We want to bring attention to the issue, and I would hope the public would begin to weigh in."\nCherry said the I-70/U.S. 41 route made sense environmentally, but he could support other alternatives as long as they used existing highways where possible.\nRegardless, he said, "The southwest corridor needs to be completed. We are not interested in moving it to Illinois"