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Question:
Why
is I-69 Called the NAFTA FreeTrade Interstate?
Answer:
The reason for the study of I-69 is that Evansville proponents got I-69
included in the NAFTA Corridors projects around the time of that
treaty, known formally as Section 115
(c) of the Intermodal
Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-240; 105 Stat.
2032)
I-69 is defined federally as Corridor 18. It requires some thirty
Sections of "Independent Utility" (SIU) be studied. Our sections
in
Indiana are:
Section 1; existing I-69 from I-465 north to Port Huron
Michigan
(including the most congested intersection in Indiana I-69 and I-465)
-- Study yet to be started. Hints of a commuter rail solution
have
been documented by INDOT and called for by the public there.
Section 2; Existing I-69 at I-465 to proposed northern termination of
Section 3 assumed to be SW Marion County on existing I-465. Study
not
begun yet, but INDOT has looked at a easterly bypass of Muncie passing
east than south of Greenwood and through Franklin to
Martinsville. The
Federal Corridor 18 proposal suggested a new direct interstate cutting
through Indianapolis like I-70 from section 1 to section 3.
Section 3; The contested section of I-69 in SW Indiana. The NAFTA
Corridors law requiring study of Corridor 18 defined SIU3 as I-465 in
SW Marion County to I-64 Approximately 12 miles North of Evansville.
Section 4; from I-64 North of Evansville to Henderson Kentucky.
*****
Each section of the study is "Independent". That is it
must stand on
it's own. No section requires the building of another. Each
state
must decide if they want to use their federal and state allocations of
road tax funds to build each section in competition with all the other
transportation needs of each state.
That is the reason for the Privatized Tolling that many of the sections
are now facing. The planning for this infrastructure is running
into
the dreaded, how do we pay for this boondoggle? Taxpayers were
going
to scream at their legislators, so try to sell it to Foreign
investors. They will do it if we give them:
1. State general fund guarantees (see "moral obligation" in
the Major Moves Bill),
2. No compete clauses. Assuring that the government will not build
parallel or competing infrastructure with these properties.
One seller of these government Privatization projects has written COUNT
US! to say that the problem with the way it is being done in Indiana is
that the contracts are weighted to bring in the most upfront
money.
The way this is done is by "giving away the farm" so to speak. 99
year
contracts weighted toward how much money we get up front result in a
greater requirement for pay back on the backside!
*****
CAFTA quickly passed in 2006 adding to the NAFTA treaty.
If you want to better understand the
significance of the NAFTA Corridors legislation see:
http://www.nascocorridor.com/pages/federal/special_projects.htm
****
As always, Please contact COUNT US! at http://www.i69tour.org if you have
more questions.
other
misconceptions
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