Major Moves I-69 (Evansville to Indianapolis) Tolling:

INDOT announces a reopening of the I-69 (I-64 to I-465) Environmental Impact Study

Background:

Tolling I-69 renders I-69 Study Trash Science

Official Comment sent to the the Tier 2 DEIS, I-69, 3-C, Evansville to Indianapolis Study
Feb. 21, 2006:  http://www.i69tour.org/tier2science.html

Now begins the response:

from:

COUNT US! hopes this reopening of Tier 1 (Environmental Impact Study /Purpose and Need section) allows the new administration to learn the absurdity of the conclusions of the original Tier 1 study.  The conclusions of a benefit never followed from the data in the first study.  Reduction in usage stated as a premise in this "Tier 1 Re-evaluation Report" will exacerbate this erred conclusion.

We believe this will be the first analysis of the Daniels' administration of the Boondoggle I-69 project.   It is with perhaps baseless optimism that we hope Daniels administration will see the absurdity of this unjustifiable proposed infrastructure and save Indiana this unneeded expense as did former Republican Senate Finance Chairman Lawrence Borst when he was challenged to serious evaluation.

There is insignificant existing traffic need for I-69. Comparative safety data is nonexistent.   Return on investment is less than break even.  Individual personal income diminishes regionally and state wide.  There is virtually no studied benefit for the selected I-69, 3-C other than a few minute time savings in a 140 mile trip.  This re-evaluation gives opportunity to expose and discontinue the waste that this project has represented for the past  decade and one half.

Chapter 1 page 1 of the Tier 1 EIS, I-69 Evansville to Indianapolis states:

Some Previous proposals were studied as toll roads.  These proposals were not recommended because the road would not be financially feasible as a toll road.  "Toll feasibility" requires that traffic levels not only pay ongoing operating and maintenance costs, but that they also provide revenues sufficient for construction debt service.  Being "toll feasible" requires higher traffic volumes than those which justify construction of a non-toll facility.

If not scientifically evaluated and upheld as toll un-feasible, the Hoosiers "Moral Obligation"* (profit guarantees to toll road privateer consortiums) section of the Major Moves legislation will require the Indiana General Fund to foot this knowable insufficient revenue  for this proposed privatized toll boondoggle /pork project. 

COUNT US! welcomes questions and reasoned challenges to our claims.  Our members will provide comments to guide INDOT to a state wide savings of more than $3.15 billion dollars.

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*Regarding the "Moral Obligation":  http://www.i69tour.org/stinks.html

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POST SCRIPT:  INDOT'S Press release announcing the above shows our "baseless optimism" was without merit:

INDOT Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


June 23, 2006

Contact: Gary Abell

317-233-4675

Re-evaluation indicates current I-69 route is best for tolling

Highway on target for 2008 groundbreaking


INDIANAPOLIS - An evaluation confirms the current I-69 corridor is the
best location for a toll facility between Indianapolis and Evansville.
The study, commissioned by the Indiana Department of Transportation
(INDOT), verifies the current federally-approved corridor would have
rated as the top choice had tolling been considered in the earlier
studies.


INDOT submitted the re-evaluation to the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) for final review. Citizens can review the contents online at
www.i69indyevn.org <http://www.i69indyevn.org/>  and provide written
comments during the next 30 days.  FHWA will examine the report and
public comments and is expected to issue a decision on the study this
fall.


"The purpose of the re-evaluation is to see if our current route is the
best choice for I-69 if we build it as a toll road," said INDOT
Commissioner Tom Sharp.  "Our analysis indicates that it is.  If FHWA
concurs, an in-depth tolling examination will be completed as a part of
our current environmental studies."


The re-evaluation examines the effect tolling has on the final five
highway corridors that were studied between 2000 and 2004.  Since
tolling wasn't evaluated in the earlier study, INDOT needed to confirm
the route selected in 2004 was still the best alternative to construct a
new interstate between Indiana's capitol and its third largest city.


"We are on target for a groundbreaking in the summer of 2008," Sharp
added.


I-69 is one of the projects in Governor Mitch Daniels' Major Moves
highway construction program.  The project is expected to be finished by
2018 - 20 years ahead of original projections.


"Governor Daniels has solved the funding issue and we are moving at warp
speed to deliver Major Moves," said Sharp.  "I-69 is a key component in
the state's goal of becoming a global transportation and logistics
center."


Citizens can learn more by attending one of four Open House events on
Thursday, June 29.

If you came here from the CARR web site, our URL is: http://www.i69tour.org/

© COUNT US! 2002 -'03,'04, '05, '06