Interstate 69 construction postponed due to inadequate funding

Bloomington residents opposed to Interstate 69 construction may have lost a battle with the Indiana Department of Transportation in November 2010, but the construction war rages on.

At an April 8 meeting, the Monroe County Metropolitan Planning Organization postponed deciding to add I-69 to its Transportation Improvement Program for 2012 to 2015. In order for INDOT to receive federal funds to construct I-69, the new interstate must be included in the TIP.

The MPO decided to postpone the decision because of a letter outlining legal concerns submitted to the organization.

The letter was submitted by attorneys representing Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads and the I-69 Accountability Project, both anti-I-69 construction groups, as well as local landowners.

The letter alleged that INDOT is in violation of federal law and possibly state law due to INDOT’s Major Program Manager Sam Sarvis’ statement at a November 5, 2010, meeting that INDOT would take a serious look at Monroe County’s discretionary transportation funds if the MPO did not approve I-69 construction.

The letter also alleges that INDOT violated environmental regulations by planning and beginning construction before passing a final Environmental Impact Statement.

Several endangered species live in the proposed I-69 construction corridor.

INDOT has not yet acquired full funding for the I-69 project.

Federal highway construction funding usually comes from gas tax revenue, which has been declining.

The MPO will revisit the decision at its May 13 meeting.