EDITORIAL: Regardless of Senate Bill 1, Illiana Expressway study must go forward

Times of Northwest Indiana

The vocal group opposed to the construction of the Illiana Expressway cannot be ignored, but neither can the outcry in support of a study to determine whether to build the expressway.

Last week, U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller, R-Ill., held a roundtable discussion in Monee for Illinois and Indiana officials to discuss the expressway.

Illinois leaders want the Illiana study to be completed as soon as possible. They also are pushing for an intense federal lobbying effort to have the road declared a Corridor of the Future. It is one of 14 finalists for that designation.

"Everywhere I go, this is the No. 1 issue," said Illinois Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete. "We need the Illiana. We need a way to get off the Borman (Expressway)."

Halvorson spoke at last week's roundtable discussion.

Meanwhile, support for the Illiana study is growing. More and more groups are voicing their support for seeing what the study will say about the proposal.

And why not? Whether you're for or against building the expressway, it will be good to see what they study says about whether it's even feasible.

The eagerness of Illinois officials to see Indiana move forward with the Illiana study is heartening. Indiana is taking the lead on the expressway because so much of the route would be in Indiana.

Let logic rule the day.

If the General Assembly won't agree to SB 1 and the possibility of privatization, the lawmakers must at least provide enough money for the study to look at not only the route -- which is crucial -- but also a variety of funding alternatives for building and operating the new road. Then let the road proposal be judged on its merits.

SB 1 would allow Gov. Mitch Daniels to pursue contracting with a private company to build and operate the road as a tollway. Indiana would still own the road, just like it does the Indiana Toll Road, but other people's money would be used to build it.

It's a controversial proposal, but it should be considered in the study as a possible way of financing the road, regardless of whether SB 1 passes.

Who can argue with that logic?