O'Bannon chooses route

Gov. Frank O'Bannon approved an I-69 route that travels through Bloomington Thursday, bringing the $1.7 billion project to build an interstate between Indianapolis and Evansville one step closer to reality.\nO'Bannon's decision, announced in Evansville, was encouraging to Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez but riled many environmentalists and local activists.\nThe route awaits approval by the Federal Highway Administration.\nO'Bannon said in a prepared statement that the state would work "to ensure the Bloomington way of life is preserved and that the city's economic footing is strengthened -- just as Columbus and Seymour's characteristics were preserved but their economies improved when Interstate 65 was built."\nFrom Evansville, the route follows Ind. 57 north through Washington, Ind. and Daviess County, proceeds to the Monroe-Greene County line, then heads due east to Ind. 37, where it will follow the road north to Indianapolis.\nProponents of the expansion said they were happy the decision was final after three years, including Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez, who held a news conference to applaud the decision immediately following O'Bannon's announcement. \nHe said the route will be beneficial to Bloomington and the southern-Indiana area. \n"Southwest Indiana has needed a major transportation route," Fernandez said. "It was long overdue."\nBut opponents weren't so lively.\nAndy Knott, of the Hoosier Environmental Council, said he was surprised by O'Bannon's choice. "He's choosing a route that will never be built, because it's the most controversial," he said. "It's the same thing that he's proposed in the past, and he's gotten so much opposition about it before."\nKnott said he also didn't understand why O'Bannon made his decision before all the studies for the project were completed. He said the Tier 1 study, which adresses planning issues -- like purpose and need, build versus no build and a preferred corridor -- is not competed yet. "Why have the announcement before you finish the study?" Knott said. "It seems like they have the cart before the horse."\nHe said his group is going to push the finalization of the I-69 studies, including a Tier 2 study for more detailed analysis.\nBill Oliver, the owner of Oliver Winery, located on Ind. 37 along the interstate route, said he was disappointed with the decision, because it will impact him and his business significantly. \nHe said he preferred the route to go another way, since the initial Tier 1 study recommended the state buy the winery property from Oliver, but he said the idea is not a done deal.\n"From what I understand, it might be a decade before they get to construction in our area," he said. "So waiting for the Tier 2 study, whether it be a year or 18 months, to plan out the rest of my life is not that long in the whole scheme of things."\nFor other businesses along the interstate route, Fernandez said he thinks this will be a great step for economic development. \nAlong with increased economic access, Fernandez listed other positive impacts the interstate will bring to Bloomington, including increased access to Indianapolis and its airport. \nHe also said this plan provides safer transportation in Bloomington by reducing access points to the road, citing the number of deaths caused by accidents on the Ind. 37 route. "It's not about just saving minutes, it's about saving lives," he said.\nKnott said the environmental issues issues should outweigh any economic or physical impact this project may have. He said O'Bannon's decision would take out close to 5,000 acres of forest land, run through the Patoka Wildlife Refuge and would cause damage to the caves and water supply in the Bloomington area.\nFernandez said the opposers have legitimate issues and concerns, but he said Bloomington must still plan for the construction of the interstate through the city. \nHe said the first step is to communicate with J. Bryan Nicol, commissioner of the state Transportation Department, to discuss construction plans and a timeline. Fernandez said no meeting has been planned yet.\nStill, he said Bloomington has been ready for this decision, and the city will continue planned construction in the area to prepare for the coming interstate. He said the overall corridor through Bloomington is good, but the southern part needs some expansion and changes.\nHe said the city is in the process of finalizing plans for a 12 to 13 month widening of West Third Street. He also said Second Street and Ind. 45 are in the works for construction.\n"The long-term planning for this project is already in place," Fernandez said.\nHe said the city will now focus focus its energy on mitigation and strategic long-term planning.\nAnd Sandra Tokarski, co-founder of the Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads organization, said she is planning, too, but for a different cause. \nShe said her group will continue to fight O'Bannon's decision. "We are disappointed that Gov. O'Bannon has turned his back on the people of southwest Indiana," Tokarski said. "We're not going away. We will continue. We're going to fight this every step of the way."\nIf everything goes as expected, O'Bannon said the project could take from eight to 14 years to complete.