Illiana Expressway

Illinois Leaders Look At Illiana Expressway

2007-12-24T11:09:00.000-06:00

Illinois transportation officials are looking at plans to build the Illiana Expressway, including a proposal to connect the proposed highway with I-55.

Reports the Chicago Tribune:

Tollway officials said they would work with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, which is developing the region's most comprehensive land-use and transportation plan to date, due in 2009.

The tollway's effort could ultimately benefit the agency if some of these highways become part of its system.

The action was prompted by a proposal last month from tollway board member James Roolf of Joliet to form an exploratory committee on the so-called Illiana Expressway.

The Illiana Expressway would bypass the heavily congested Northern Indiana-Chicago region by connecting Interstate Highway 65 with Interstate Highway 57.

Roolf suggested that the tollway become involved in the project and possibly extend the expressway all the way to Interstate Highway 55.

Illiana Expressway Report Due Soon

2007-12-10T16:51:00.000-06:00

The Illiana Expressway feasibility study is due out shortly, reports Jon Hilkevitch of the Chicago Tribune, who also details the history of the project from the time it was proposed by Daniel Burnham.

Illinois officials are pushing for the Illiana Expressway to be built before land in the area is so developed the roadway will have to be too far south to generate economic benefits for Northwest Indiana and Northeast Illinois.

From Hilkevitch's report:

Later this month, a preliminary financial assessment from Indiana is due out on the feasibility of building a long-discussed Chicago-area bypass highway called the Illiana Expressway. ...

"The primary purpose of ring roads, as Burnham had envisioned, is to take traffic that is going around Chicago and take it around rather than through the city," said Randy Blankenhorn, executive director of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, a partner in the Illiana project. ...

Meanwhile, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority is considering forming an exploratory committee to help keep the momentum going on the Illiana project.

Tollway board member James Roolf, who proposed the exploratory committee, said studies should be done to see if it is possible to extend the Illiana farther west to I-55, and also connect it with the proposed Prairie Parkway, a north-south highway corridor in the far western portion of the Chicago region.

Buzzcut writes in Blue County Red State:

I know a lot of people don't want the thing, but as a driver in the Chicago area, I want this thing built to as full extent as possible. I want it to go as far east as possible, go as far west as possible, and intersect as many other highways as possible.

Lowell Council Candidate Runs Against Illiana Expressway

2007-11-03T10:17:00.000-05:00

A candidate for the Lowell, Indiana town council says he is opposed to the construction of the proposed Illiana Expressway, reports the Northwest Indiana Times.

Says John Alessia:

"One of the many reasons I choose to live in this community is because of its small-town appeal. ... The toll road would rob us of what we cherish on a daily basis," he said.

If elected, Alessia said he will work with his fellow councilmen to "clearly communicate" to local, state and federal lawmakers that the project is ill-conceived and shortsighted.

Illinois Leaders Want Illiana Expressway Action In Land Of Lincoln

2007-10-26T11:38:00.001-05:00

David Schwab of the Chicago Heights Star reports Illinois officials are pushing for action on the Illiana Expressway on the Illinois side of the border.

Crete officials are refueling their gas tanks in the drive for the long-proposed Illiana Expressway.
The expressway, which has been discussed in some form or another for a decade or so, would connect Interstates 57 in Illinois and 65 in Indiana, south of the I-80/94 corridor.

"We're trying to jumpstart this thing again," village administrator Thomas Durkin said.

The village is "reorganizing a group of individuals" from both the public and private sectors who may have an interest in the proposed roadway, he said.

Don't Let Fear & Rumors Block Illiana Expressway Study

2007-10-03T06:36:00.000-05:00

The editorial board at the Northwest Indiana Times calls on Lake County residents to not let rumors and fears get in the way of studying the proposed Illiana Expressway.

(Lake County Commissioner Gerry) Scheub isn't the only person who has voiced criticism of the shorter version of the Illiana Expressway. Already, opponents are lining up against the Illiana.

Their criticism is premature, however.

What we need next are the facts, not rumors, suppositions and fears. ...

Let's see what the study determines before attempting to shoot down the proposal.

Huge Intermodal Operation Coming To Northwest Indiana

2007-09-27T10:12:00.000-05:00

A huge intermodal operation is planned for Northwest Indiana, according to news reports.

Gary's Kirk Yard will become a huge intermodal operation when Canadian National Railway buys the EJ&E Railway, reports the Northwest Indiana Times.

Canadian National CEO E. Hunter Harrison on Wednesday said Kirk Yard south of U.S. Steel Gary Works is a "critical part" of the railroad's proposed $300 million purchase of the EJ&E, which could cut train waits in Chicago by as much as a day.

Time will tell if the creation of a huge intermodal operation operation in Gary will increase the need for alternative transportation routes -- namely the Illiana Expressway -- in Northwest Indiana.

Kirk Yard Intermodal Northwest Indiana Gary Indiana Canadian National EJ&E transportation

I-90 Indiana Toll Road Expansion Planned

2007-09-22T13:41:00.000-05:00

Interstate 90 -- the Indiana Toll Road -- will be expanding to three lanes from Ripley Street in Lake Station to mile marker 10 in Gary, Indiana, according to the Indiana Toll Road Concession, reports the Post-Tribune.

Road work on the $215 million road construction project is scheduled to begin in 2008 and continue until 2010.

"We're going to maintain two lanes of traffic east- and westbound throughout the project," ITR spokesman Matt Pierce said. Work has begun on moving utilities and railroads around the structure, Pierce said.

I-90 Indiana Toll Road Road Construction Indiana Toll Road Concession

Is Indiana Toll Road Operator's Parent Macquarie Bank Stable?

2007-09-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

The Indiana Toll Road
toll booths at the I-65 Exit in Gary.

Did the fallout from the sub-prime mortgage market collapse destroy the financial underpinnings of Macquarie Bank -- the company that leased the Indiana Toll Road and the Chicago Skyway with Spanish corporation Cintra? The bank says their financial model is "robust."

News.com.au reports that Fortune magazine has a report about Macquarie Bank set for publication. Hat tip to Taking Down Words for spotting the article.

Fortune's interest in Macquarie follows the bank's move into the US infrastructure securitisation market, which is relatively undeveloped and has become politically controversial.

Macquarie and Spanish company Cintra did the first privatisation of a US toll road in 2004, when they offered $US1.8 billion for a 99-year lease on the Chicago Skyway toll road, paying almost $US1 billion more than the next highest bid.

They followed up with a $US3.8 billion deal to run the connecting Indiana Toll Road.

The article notes that, as the concept of infrastructure privatisation gets off the ground in the US, "there is widespread resentment and cynicism about the notion of private companies making money off what has long been perceived as public property".

The article suggests that the "financial structures underpinning Macquarie's assets" may be "as unstable as the steel that supported the Interstate 35W bridge" in the US, which recently collapsed.

Macquarie chief executive Allan Moss told analysts on Friday that many recent criticisms of the bank had been made by people who had "not taken the trouble to study Macquarie Bank" closely.

"They are not views that have been given any serious credit by serious investors or serious analysts," he said.

"It is well understood that we have a very robust business model."

Macquarie Bank Cintra Indiana Toll Road Indiana Toll Road Operator Chicago Skyway

I-69 Designed Corridor Of The Future

2007-09-19T17:40:00.000-05:00

The Illiana Expressway didn't win designation as a Corridor of the Future, but another Indiana highway that could potentially link Canada with Mexico -- I-69 -- did.

From Inside Indiana Business:

Interstate 69 begins at the U.S./Canadian border north of Detroit and extends southward to Indianapolis. The corridor is then in various stages of development and construction from Indianapolis south through Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas before reaching the Mexican border near Laredo. All eight states from Michigan to Texas are part of the I-69 Steering Committee that was formed in 1993 to oversee the development of the route. Hoosier Voices for I-69, the statewide advocacy organization in Indiana, has worked closely with the Steering Committee and the Mid-Continent Highway Coalition to ensure national recognition of the Indiana segments of the highway.
In Indiana, the I-69 extension from Indianapolis to Evansville is currently in the Tier 2 study process and is on a current timetable for a ground-breaking in 2008.

Copyright 2007, Christopher Hedges, All Rights Reserved.

I 69 NAFTA highway Canada Mexico highway Corridor of the Future Interstate

Illiana Expressway Cut From Corridors Of The Future Program

2007-09-19T06:47:00.000-05:00

The Illiana Expressway was cut from the Corridors of the Future program, but that doesn't mean that the project to build an interstate connecting I-57 in Will County, Illinois to I-65 in Lake County, Indiana won't still proceed.

From the Northwest Indiana Times:

The Illiana Expressway failed to make the final cut for the federal Corridors of the Future program, a setback that chokes off both instant planning cash and long-term financial perks for the long-stalled Northwest Indiana highway.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

South Shore Extension Gets Visclosky's Help

2007-09-18T06:28:00.000-05:00

Indiana Rep. Pete Visclosky took a trip to Indianapolis to ask state legislators to help with funding for an extension of the South Shore line to Lowell and Valparaiso.

Reports the Post-Tribune:

Northwest Indiana's staunchest advocates for extending the South Shore rail line took their pitch to the Statehouse on Monday, where legislators questioned the wisdom of giving the region new taxing powers to help pay for the $1 billion project.
U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky told the Senate's Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee the state needs to act quickly to take advantage of $500 million in federal transportation money to help subsidize the expansion of the commuter rail line south to Lowell and east to Valparaiso.

Extending commuter rail service south and eastward would be a good thing for Northwest Indiana's economy as it would make it easier to travel to and from Chicago for work and play.

Copyright 2007, Christopher C. Hedges, All Rights Reserved.

Commuter rail South Shore Valparaiso Lowell Pete Visclosky commuter rail legislation

Public Interest Group Issues Negative Indiana Toll Road Report

2007-09-17T13:19:00.000-05:00

The Blue Indiana blog -- never a friend of the Mitch Daniel's administration that set up and oversaw the lease of the Indiana Toll Road to private interests -- found a US Public Interest Research Group report that says that the Indiana Toll Road lease was a bad deal for future Indiana taxpayers.

As I said, there is much more in the report, so go check it out. The general implication is, unfortunately, that the Indiana Toll Road lease and Major Moves program, while potentially politically useful for Governor Daniels now, will almost certainly result in numerous long-term problems for the state and the future generations who will be forced to live with the decisions of this administration.

It remains to be see whether the Indiana Toll Road lease works out for the best in the end, but Governor Mitch Daniel's administration points to huge interest that is being earned on the up-front lease payment that was obtained from the Indiana Toll Road operators.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Chicago Mass Transit Vote Set For Tomorrow

2007-09-13T22:30:00.000-05:00

Will Chicago area suburban transit officials vote to accept Illinois Rod. Blagojevich's mass transit proposals to prevent a transit "doomsday" that could result in service cuts through out public transit in Chicago and the suburbs? The vote count at the RTA is too close to call, reports CBS 2 Chicago.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Chicago Transit Authority Warns Of Service Cuts

2007-09-11T20:22:00.000-05:00

The Chicago Transit Authority is warning bus riders that service might be cut if Illinois lawmakers aren't able to increase funding for public transportation. CTA service cuts might affect Northwest Indiana's Chicago commuters.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Anti Illiana Expressway Group Joins With Anti Intermodal Coalition

2007-09-10T06:18:00.000-05:00

A group that opposes the proposed Illiana Expressway has joined forces with a LaPorte, Indiana activist group opposed to a proposed Norfolk Southern intermodal rail yard in Union Mills, reports nwi.com.

"We have mutual goals because the wolf is at the back door. There's the obvious connection between the intermodal and the Illiana Expressway. This is by no means won. We know it's coming back and if either project goes through, the other will follow," (said Dave) Ahlberg (of Citizens Against the Privitized Illiana Tollroad).

(Ty) Murray, a business and property owner, said: "We are not opposed to jobs and growth for the community, but this is literally taking LaPorte and transforming it to the likes of East Chicago. We don't want our community to go from a rural community to an industrial community."

WNDU South Bend reports that the intermodal facility has tapped former Democratic Governor Joe Kernan as a consultant.

Writes the South Bend Tribune:

Kernan said intermodals can be strong economic development engines, creating jobs while also reducing tractor-trailer traffic on roads and highways. He said northwestern Indiana is an ideal place for such a project.

"Its proximity to Chicago and multiple railroad lines that connect to Chicago gives it the opportunity for the right kind of facility to be created," he said.

View Larger Map

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads Intermodal Stop Intermodal Save Our County LaPorte Union Mills Joe Kernan

Realtors Say Illiana Expressway Needed

2007-09-06T06:50:00.001-05:00

Northwest Indiana Realtors say that the Illiana Expressway is needed to sell homes in the South Shore Region, writes the president of the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors in a letter to the editor published in the Northwest Indiana Times.

We already know that our primary east-west corridor, the Borman Expressway, is one of the deadliest stretches of road in the nation, and now the flooding on the Borman, which led to days of road, lane and ramp closures, further illustrates the need for an alterative route between the Indiana and Illinois border, one that does not detour large trucks and commercial and passenger vehicles through our local communities, creating a deluge of traffic and congestion from drivers unfamiliar with local roads and forced off the expressway without a clear direction of how to find their way back on route.

As Realtors, we sell Indiana every day. However it will become increasing difficult to sell a congested area. This failing infrastructure must be addressed.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Borman Flood Shows Illiana Expressway Need

2007-08-28T06:20:00.000-05:00

Flooding on the Borman Expressway -- I-80 & I-94 in Northwest Indiana -- shows the need to build an alternate east-west interstate highway through the area. Rising waters from last week's storms led to all lanes being closed on the Borman Expressway, blocking traffic on of the nation's busiest east-west routes.

Writes the Northwest Indiana Times:

The Borman flooding, which closed the expressway for days and forced heavy traffic onto local streets, also reinforces the need for alternative highways like the Illiana Expressway.

These additional highways must be quickly engineered and constructed to handle the growing traffic and to provide alternatives when one of the area's main roads must be fully or even partially closed.

Indiana transportation and political leaders said the same thing -- the Borman Expressway flood shows the need to build the Illiana Expressway.

Writes the Northwest Indiana Times' Patrick Guinane:

Had the Illiana Expressway been handling traffic -- instead of gathering drawing-board dust -- local roads could have been spared the deluge of cars diverted last weekend from the waterlogged Borman Expressway, transportation officials said Monday.

For naysayers, hoping that transportation problems will solve themselves by halting new road construction is faulty logic. When the Borman Expressway was closed, trucks and cars traveling from New York to California and points in between flowed into Northwest Indiana city streets seeking alternate routes.

And, it is foreseeable that accidents, roadwork, heavy snow, or any number of other reasons could block the Borman Expressway.

From the Northwest Indiana Times:

Andy Dietrick, an Indiana Department of Transportation spokesman, agreed "it would have been helpful to have had another alternate route, such as the Illiana Expressway, onto which east-west through traffic could have been diverted."

It signals why some lawmakers believe talk about the expressway should give way to building it.

"Had it been built 20 to 30 years ago when we first started talking about the idea, then, yeah, we wouldn't have been looking at the problems we had (last weekend)," State Rep. Dan Stevenson, D-Highland, said.

In its current incarnation, the long-stalled highway would connect Interstate 57 in Illinois with Interstate 65 in Lake County. INDOT last week selected Cambridge Systematics, a Massachusetts firm, to conduct the Illiana route study the Legislature mandated this spring.

Let's build the Illiana Expressway so that trucks and cars don't have to travel Northwest Indiana city streets to avoid Borman Expressway traffic jams, construction, and floods.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Mitch Daniels Speaks About Illiana Expressway And Indiana Toll Road Privatization

2007-08-23T06:17:00.000-05:00

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels spoke with the Northwest Indiana Times' editors yesterday about a wide ranging series of topics, including the proposed Illiana Expressway which is currently being studied for construction from I-65 to I-57 in Illinois and the effects of privatizing the Indiana Toll Road.

Mitch Daniels told the Times that his suggestion to extend the Illiana Expressway past I-65 to form a loop connecting with I-94 was "what spurred most of the yelling and I understand that."

Despite the vocal opposition raised by people opposed to extending the Illiana Expressway into Porter County, Mitch Daniels hopes to be able to extend in proposed interstate to I-94 one of these days. "I hope we can keep the conversation going," said Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Daniels also spoke about the effects of privatization of the Indiana Toll Road. Despite some problems with signage advising which lanes are designed for I-Zoom / EZ-Pass / I-Pass toll collection and some backups at toll plazas caused the confusion and some grumbling by union members, Daniels said that the interested made from the Indiana Toll Road lease brought in more money for the state than the Indiana Toll Road did during its first 50 years.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Bloggers' Thoughts On Soliday's Anger At INDOT's Illiana Expressway Financing Focus

2007-08-19T07:47:00.000-05:00

The blog world lit up with the news that Valparaiso Rep. Ed Soliday was angry with INDOT's limited focus on financing options for the proposed Illiana Expressway. Soliday said in news reports that all financing options should be examined, not just private options.

Writes Taking Down Words:

Republican State Rep. Ed Soliday is seriously pissed off at the Indiana Department of Transportation ...

Thomas of Blue Indiana writes that the optimist in him is rejoicing in seeing an elected official voicing the concerns of his constituents, but the cynic sees the move as an attempt to move away from Gov. Mitch Daniels before election time.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Rep. Soliday Says INDOT Violating Law With Illiana Expressway Study

2007-08-18T06:32:00.000-05:00

GOP Rep. Ed Soliday says that INDOT is violating the Illiana Expressway study legislation by limiting its focus to the private financing option pushed by Governor Mitch Daniels, reports the Northwest Indiana Times. Soliday said in a news release that the intent of the Illiana Expressway legislation was to explore all feasible financing options.

Soliday says he is willing to take the agency to court. He argues INDOT is violating state law by pursuing a feasibility study of the proposed highway that would examine only one financing option -- the private tollway model championed by Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Taking Down Words published Rep. Ed Soliday's news release detailing his concerns that INDOT wasn't following the intent of the Illiana Expressway legislation:

"Today, State Representative Ed Soliday (R-Valparaiso) sent a letter to the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Commissioner Karl B. Browning copying Governor Daniels requesting that INDOT reconsider their decision to focus exclusively on a public-private partnership arrangement as the funding source for the Illiana Expressway, but rather explore all feasible funding options available.

"'My intention of the amendment to Senate Enrolled Act 105 was to have the firm who is chosen by INDOT to conduct the feasibility study of the Illiana Expressway explore all reasonable funding options,' said Soliday. 'I am disappointed that the true spirit and intent of this amendment was apparently overlooked because my careful effort to explicitly enumerate this objective was how I was able to gain strong bipartisan support for this language. It is my hope that the officials at INDOT will reconsider their decision.'

"'The Governor and I both took an oath to uphold the laws of the state of Indiana and an unbiased feasibility study is clearly critical to ensure public confidence in both our offices.'

"Representative Soliday is requesting alternatives to current INDOT direction in the RFP process. These alternatives need to be compliant with 2007 SB105 which was signed into law by the Governor earlier this year."

Blue Indiana weighs in with additional commentary about the Illiana Expressway flap regarding interstate highway privatization:

As Rep. Soliday knows, this isn't exactly a popular idea with, you know, the ordinary Hoosiers who drive on these roads every day.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Illiana Expressway Could Be Reality By 2018

2007-08-17T19:50:00.001-05:00

The Indiana Department of Transportation's Illiana Expressway Phase 2 Grant Application for designation of the proposed highway as a Corridor of the Future contains the following timeline that suggests that if all goes as planned, the Illiana Expressway could be reality by 2018.

See Illiana Expressway Phase 2 Grant Proposal, section 10-1.

Through the Bi-state Agreement between Illinois and Indiana, the general scope of a feasibility study of the Illiana Corridor has been developed. This process has reached another milestone in Indiana Governor Daniels’ recent signing of legislation which directs the Indiana DOT to perform a needs assessment for the Illiana Corridor.

The study will provide a description of the need for an Illiana Expressway, projections for right-of-way acquisition costs, expected use of the proposed expressway and any toll revenues, expected construction costs, expected operating and maintenance costs, funding options, the project’s ability to relieve traffic congestion, and economic impacts.

By following the INDOT EA/Corridor Study Process, this phase of project development will result in a reasonable range of alternatives that may proceed directly into an EIS. The study is to be completed by July 1, 2009.

Following development of the feasibility study, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be completed. This process, which typically takes five years for such projects, will conclude with a record of decision (ROD). Acceleration of this timeframe is possible for the Illiana Corridor because some of the EIS activities are to be conducted in the feasibility study.

Accordingly, a ROD could be achieved by July 1, 2012, two years earlier than with the traditional approach which would result in a ROD by mid-2014.

Final design and engineering will begin on issuance of the ROD. On similar projects, based on a traditional project delivery approach this process would take another four years, combined with right-of-way acquisition, after which construction would commence, in approximately mid-2018.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

INDOT Submits Illiana Expressway Corridors of the Future Application Phase 2

2007-08-17T19:32:00.000-05:00

The Indiana Department of Transportation has submitted its Phase 2 application on behalf of the proposed Illiana Expressway being built as a "Corridor of the Future."

Here are links INDOT's Illiana Expressway COF proposal (in PDF):
Part I -- Illiana Expressway and Freight Corridor, Corridors of the Future, Phase 2
Part II -- Illiana Expressway and Freight Corridor, Corridors of the Future, Phase 2

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Rep. Ed Soliday Blasts INDOT's Focus On Private Cash For Illiana Expressway

2007-08-17T09:41:00.000-05:00

Valparaiso Rep. Ed Soliday sent a letter to the Indiana Department of Transportation complaining that the state transportation agency is pushing for private cash funding of the proposed Illiana Expressway and not exploring all options, as he says is required by the Illiana Expressway legislation.

Soliday -- a member of the Illiana Expressway Proposal Review Committee -- sent the letter Thursday.

Reports the Post-Tribune:

"In my opinion as the author of the provision, this directly contradicts the spirit and intention of the legislation," Soliday wrote.

The Northwest Indiana Times writes:

State law calls for financing options to be included in the study. But Soliday said the bid request that went out to consultants shows the state only is interested in the privately financed tollway model advocated by Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels.

"Right now, I don't think they're in compliance with the spirit, intent and letter of the law," Soliday said, adding that attorneys he has spoken with agree. "It appears they defaulted to a (public-private partnership), which is what they wanted to do all along ... I think their credibility is at risk. I think my credibility is at risk."

It seems to me that the whole Illiana Expressway proposal has always been touted as a public-private partnership project -- per Gov. Mitch Daniels' philosophy -- so it shouldn't seem surprising that the state would seek to gain funding for the Illiana Expressway using private money as the first resort, rather than looking for additional state funds during a time when taxpayers all over the state are in virtual revolt over substantial property tax increases. But, I can see Rep. Ed Soliday's point in wanting to explore all options for financing the project so that the best proposals can be selected and implemented -- whether they are public or private or some combination of the both.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Illiana Expressway Facts and Indiana Code Citations

2007-08-16T09:09:00.001-05:00

Some quick Illiana Expressway facts and Indiana Code citations:

Illiana Expressway legally defined -- Indiana Code 8-23-27-2:

As used in this chapter, "Illiana expressway" refers to a new interstate quality highway connecting Interstate Highway 57 in Illinois to Interstate Highway 65 in Indiana.

The Illiana Expressway will be a tolled interstate highway, according to Indiana Department of Transportation documents.

From the Illiana Expressway Request For Proposals question form (PDF):

At this time INDOT is intending to determine the overall feasibility of developing the ILLIANA Expressway as a tolled facility, minimizing or entirely eliminating the need for State funding contributions. Therefore, any innovative financing opportunities would be of interest.

The legislation providing for the Illiana Expressway Proposal Review Committee will investigate and issue a report to the governor -- see Indiana Code 8-23-27-2:

Prepare a report to be submitted to the governor and to the legislative council in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6 regarding the committee's determination of whether the proposed Illiana expressway project is recommended by the committee.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Who's On The Illiana Expressway Proposal Review Committee?

2007-08-15T06:27:00.000-05:00

Curious to see who is on the Illiana Expressway Proposal Review Committee?

The Indiana General Assembly has made it easy to see who is on the Illiana Expressway Proposal Review Committee by setting up a page listing the committee members and legislative staff assistants.

Here are the current members:

Sen. Sue Landske, Chairperson

Rep. David Niezgodski

Rep. Ed Soliday

Rep. Don Lehe

Illiana Expressway Proposal Review Committee Sue Landske Brandt Hershman Earline Rogers Karen Tallian Terri Austin David Niezgodski Ed Soliday Don Lehe