Federal dollars given for I-69 construction in Bloomington

The Bloomington/Monroe County Metropolitan Planning Organization passed an amendment Friday that will allow the Indiana Department of Transportation to use federal money to build a segment of the proposed I-69 route, which will run through Bloomington.

The less than 2-mile segment of the proposed highway was hotly contested at the meeting, but the amendment passed with a 9-4 vote.

Before Friday’s meeting, the MPO Technical Advisory Committee voted unanimously in support of the I-69 amendment, while the Citizen’s Advisory Committee had a majority vote against approving the amendment.

Before the debate on the amendment began, some MPO members were concerned about the specific location of the proposed I-69 corridor. The corridor was proposed to run from May Creek to SR 37.

However, there were creeks and roads incorrectly labeled on INDOT’s map.

This created confusion about the specific area that would be affected. However, the MPO eventually agreed to go forward with the amendment discussion.

Sam Sarvis, deputy commissioner of major programs for INDOT, spoke to the MPO about I-69 and answered several questions from MPO members.

“I-69 is a reality,” Sarvis said. “Today’s vote is more about a partnership than anything else.”

Sarvis’ statements raised concern among committee members that a no vote would mean I-69 would still be constructed.

When pressed for a clear answer, Sarvis admitted that if the MPO did not approve the I-69 amendment, INDOT would take a look at the MPO’s discretionary funding.

INDOT would use state money to fund I-69, including MPO money that would otherwise fund local transportation projects.

“Money that could and should be used for local transportation will almost immediately be redirected to lawyers,” Sarvis said, referring to the consequences of a no vote by the MPO.

The total estimated cost for building I-69 from Indianapolis to Evansville is $3.1 billion.
Bloomington City Council member Andy Ruff expressed concerns about funding the proposed I-69 project. INDOT has $5 billion in backlogged construction projects, Ruff said.

“There’s no way INDOT can maintain itself and build a massive, expensive, multi-billion dollar project when INDOT’s in the hole,” Ruff said. “I’m going to have a very hard time not considering that extremely irresponsible fiscal policy.”

Monroe County Commissioner Mark Stoops expressed concern about large volumes of traffic from I-69 exiting onto SR 37.

“I’m not sure how this MPO can approve a plan to approve an interstate dumping out onto State Road 37,” Stoops said.

Some Monroe County residents chose to speak during the public comment section of the meeting, with the majority of resident commentators opposed to the I-69 amendment.

Bloomington resident Jody Madeira lives in Rolling Glen subdivision, a neighborhood close to the proposed I-69 construction.

“My property appraisals have already declined $80,000 from estimates I got a year ago,” Madeira said.

Mark Haggerty, also a Monroe County resident, spoke out about his property concerns as well.

“My land is to be confiscated,” Haggerty said. “Land that I’ve had for 30 years. I’m deeply, deeply pissed.”

Representatives for the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, the Indiana National Guard and the Rogers Group, a company that supplies road construction materials, urged the MPO to approve the I-69 amendment.

The MPO passed a motion to revise the amendment, which removed an estimate for construction costs and added additional conditions on planning, standards and construction.

In a final statement pleading for his fellow MPO members to vote against the amended version, Ruff focused on the gravity of the situation.

“It is a historic opportunity to stand up and take a stand,” Ruff said. “We shouldn’t just go along manipulated and coerced.”

Ruff’s comments did not dissuade the MPO from approving the amendment.

Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan attempted to explain his reasoning for a yes vote to the crowd.

“If I believed voting against the I-69 amendment would stop it, I’d do it,” Kruzan said. “This vote isn’t about stopping I-69. It’s about keeping local dollars locally controlled.”