Resolution against I-69 passes

With emphatic pleas from Bloomington residents, business people, farm owners and fellow Hoosiers, the City Council voted 7-1 Wednesday night, in favor of passing a resolution stating its opposition to the construction of Interstate Highway 69 through Bloomington.\nThe only councilman to vote against the resolution was David Sabbaugh who said he went to the forum tonight so that a unanimous decision would not give the illusion that nobody supported I-69.\n"I think we should construct the best I-69 we can," Sabbaugh said. "Many people here tonight wanted a unanimous vote ... well, I'm sorry, but that simply isn't going to happen."\nThe resolution, introduced by Councilmen at large Chris Gaal and Andy Ruff, states an interstate highway would create pollution, noise, traffic and generic sprawl. Additionally, it states Bloomington's economic advantage is its beauty and natural surroundings.\nThe resolution states I-69 will have an overall harmful affect on Bloomington and Monroe County and asks the Governor and the Indiana Department of Transportation to focus on existing roadways such as State Road 37 and abandon the route through Bloomington. Residents expressed their extreme gratitude towards the councilmen for taking the time to address an issue of great concern to the city.\nBloomington resident Sandra Tokarski said she believes while nothing is final yet, the resolution is the first step in the right direction.\n"It won't be a silver bullet, but it'll definitely make an impact having an elected body saying we don't want (I-69) coming through here," she said.\nMany residents echoed the message provided by Gaal and Ruff.\n"I love this city, I left ... but I came back," said Michael Redman, a Bloomington resident. "But I didn't come back because I wanted a super-highway running through here."\nWhile there was overwhelming support from the public to pass the resolution, two residents expressed their opposition to the resolution stating they believed I-69 would in fact help Indiana.\nLois Steward, an advocate for people with disabilities, felt the City Council meeting was lopsided and felt the three-minute limit was not an adequate time limit to voice her opposition to the resolution.\n"Twenty years I've heard people say I can't get to Bloomington or Indy," she said. "People with disabilities have trouble getting to Bloomington ... Why wouldn't you want to create a corridor from IUPUI to IU. I just have faith in the future."\nThe resolution will be sent by the City Clerk to the Governor of Indiana, the Commissioner of Indiana Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and our state and federal legislators.\nIU Journalism Professor Steve Higgs asked the resolution be taken one step further.\n"I want Mayor of Bloomington Mark Kruzan to personally deliver the resolution to the government," he said.\nDuring the presentation of the resolution, Ruff spoke of the economic development throughout Indiana and how an interstate highway would not be a solution.\nAreas in the northeast of Indiana where the I-69 route currently exists have a lower rate of economic development compared with areas of the southwest which have remained stable, Ruff said.\nIn addition to believing I-69 wouldn't help economic development, Gaal said the interstate highway will not bring back lost manufacturing jobs that were outsourced to other countries.\n"We don't need to spend $2 billion on a 1950s solution to a 21st century problem," Gaal said. "The overall costs outweigh the benefits. It's not in the best interest of the community."\nTurk Roman, Vigo County councilman, traveled from Terre Haute to voice his feelings about the proposed I-69 route. Roman said he doesn't understand the need for the route.\n"There isn't any problem getting here," he said. "When was the last time people couldn't go to an IU game because they couldn't get here? Never."\n-- Contact staff writer Jill Brooks at jimbrooks@indiana.edu and city & state editor Mallory Simon at mgsimon@indiana.edu .