I-69 Extension project kicks off tomorrow! (Evansville, Bloomington: upkeep, taxes, appraisers)

[erickp]

Couple of quick thoughts cause it's late and I'm too old for this nightlife.

First, if Highway 41 is rebuilt from I-64 to I-70 it will create a disastrous mess for several years as traffic is funneled and detoured to allow for upgrading to interstate standards. We just went through major resurfacing projects in the Evansville area and I shudder to think what would happen to 41 should this happen. Ask all the business owners along Diamond Ave. or St. Joseph in Evansville, or Indiana 66 in Warrick County, who lost money or closed up shop because their customers could not get access to them.

Because of the delays, many people just stayed away from the construction areas totally, putting a further hit on the merchants. Jobs? Can you imagine trying to convince anyone to open a factory or retail outlet under those restrictions?

Second, although Indy access is important to us, a route to Bloomington is needed more. Sorry to repeat myself, but as I said in an earlier post, too many of us have had the scary experience of kissing our kids goodbye on a snowy, wet Sunday evening and watching them set off up Highway 57 heading back to IU.

Erick

[paptofour]

I-69 plan 'very aggressive' » Evansville Courier & Press

[chalcedony]

Originally Posted by erickp

First, if Highway 41 is rebuilt from I-64 to I-70 it will create a disastrous mess for several years as traffic is funneled and detoured to allow for upgrading to interstate standards. We just went through major resurfacing projects in the Evansville area and I shudder to think what would happen to 41 should this happen. Ask all the business owners along Diamond Ave. or St. Joseph in Evansville, or Indiana 66 in Warrick County, who lost money or closed up shop because their customers could not get access to them.

Old post I know, but this still does not seem to be a compelling reason. I can certainly respect that businesses struggle from reduced accessibility, but any upgrade of existing highways causes disruptions and detours, yet we put up with it for new paving or an additional lane. Surely upgrading an existing highway is still better than clearing through hundreds of square miles of undeveloped land, woods, farms etc--not to mention the eminent domain requirement of providing just compensation to landowners for taking their land to build a highway. In the long haul, we are paying billions more for this new terrain route for the fact that it saves 20 minutes over US 41.

Regarding access to Bloomington: that might be nice, but one could make the same argument that access to Terre Haute/ISU is vital as well. State highways get shoveled in snowy conditions whether they are six lane or two lane.

[ShadowCaver]

I've stated before, and will again... I am not in favor of this new highway. Will I use it when completed, sure - why not, part of my taxes will be going towards its payment & upkeep. Yet, I would rather, much rather, see OUR collective funds go towards improving existing highways, instead of ripping up & destroying yet more land.

However, as its evident that this new highway will be built, I hope that some intelligence [yea, I know, I'm a foolish dreamer... ] will go towards its construction. One commenter "Perplexed" in a letter of the link Paptofour provided has some quite good IMHO thoughts: bike lanes and rail lanes - why not add improved access/capability for these, now, while laying the foundation?

lol, but, nevermind... see it will be the same ol BS that governments do, way too often - take shortcuts:

... Other measures will be used to lower the cost. They include putting down a thinner layer of pavement at first. More will be added after the road connects to Indianapolis and begins to carry heavier trucks. Also undecided is whether I-69 will be made of concrete or asphalt. The preference likely will go to the cheaper material. ...

And with cheaper material up front, we then have more often and costly [in time, resources, delays, etc.] of repairing roadways down the road [yeap, pun intended ].

Nice that the State can buy trees and wetlands, at a 3:1 ratio,,, that will make all of those critters & plants finding their homes destroyed happy I'm sure. Who will be taking them to their new homes? What of the trees and wildlife that already inhabit those tripled lands?

... The state will use that property to replace the many trees and wetlands lost to the construction. Sarvis said the state has bought three times as much land as will be affected by the I-69 construction, going beyond the federal government's mandates. ...

Really now... Environmental Impacts

... These measures will protect and create forest and wetlands, protect water quality and karst features, and provide for research, monitoring, and education about the species and habitats. Implementation of these measures could lead to an improvement in long-term habitat conditions for the Indiana bat. ...

Lastly, as a caver, this jibberish really is crap. Like saying "there is over 300 miles of Mammoth Cave, we can destroy a couple miles of it, and there'd still be all that other parts..."
Environmental Impacts Question

... Extensive studies have identified numerous karst features, especially in the area west of Bloomington. I-69 was routed to avoid the highest concentration of these features. ...

I don't agree with everything here, but for the most part The Common Sense I-69

[cubssoxfan]

Looks like it is being built along IN 57 and 37 and a new highway near Crane Naval to connect the 2 highways- so I don't understand the previous posters discussion of the US 41 to I-70 since that route has been dismissed.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

Looks like it is being built along IN 57 and 37 and a new highway near Crane Naval to connect the 2 highways- so I don't understand the previous posters discussion of the US 41 to I-70 since that route has been dismissed.

Sour grapes

This debate has been raging...........my entire life..........and people are still complaining after they decide on a path.


EDIT: I should note that I am not implying that the "upgrade 41" folks who are complaining are bad or hindering anything. I am sure the new terrain people would be pouting just as loud had Mitch routed 69 through Terre Haute. I am just noting the long history and deep feelings involved in the debate.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by chalcedony

Regarding access to Bloomington: that might be nice, but one could make the same argument that access to Terre Haute/ISU is vital as well. State highways get shoveled in snowy conditions whether they are six lane or two lane.

Terre Haute already has access, not sure what point you are trying to make. There is a difference between upgrading access to Terre Haute and creating access to Bloomington.

[Ravekid]

If there was one thing I wish they would mandate when they building news roads like this is that light pollution be kept to a minimum. The worse will be where the exits are, as gas stations and truck stops pop up and are lit up like a Christmas Tree. They should force them to use lighting fixtures that keep light down and low, not shining out into the night sky.

[ShadowCaver]

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

Sour grapes

This debate has been raging...........my entire life..........and people are still complaining after they decide on a path.


EDIT: I should note that I am not implying that the "upgrade 41" folks who are complaining are bad or hindering anything. I am sure the new terrain people would be pouting just as loud had Mitch routed 69 through Terre Haute. I am just noting the long history and deep feelings involved in the debate.

'tis neither sour grapes nor pouting

Reread my post - intent is to understand, to learn the consequences of these current actions... to know what is currently going on, why it is, so that in the future better paths [pun intended] & actions can be taken.

For example, one of my points is thus - its stated that the State will repay Nature at a 3:1 ratio for what will be paved... How? Where? Its taking current paved and/or developed land to "reclaim" into a natural state?

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by ShadowCaver

'tis neither sour grapes nor pouting

I wasn't necessarily speaking about you specifically; but many of the I-70/US 41 boosters who continue to pout. The decision to build the new terrain route was made a couple of years ago; and building has started. There is absolutely no reason to even bring up the 70/41 route at this point. None.

You can call it what you want; it doesn't amount to a hill of beans at this point.