Illiana Expressway foes say plan's impact needs review

Illiana did not appear on the agenda, but Porter County Commissioner Robert Harper, an early critic of the highway that would arc through southern Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties, stood briefly at the start of the meeting to accuse the agency of trying to deceive the public about the purpose of Indiana Senate Bill SB1.

"John Swanson perpetuated the idea that this is a study bill. Although it alludes to a study, it's a green light to build the road," Harper said, referring to a weekend letter to the editor penned by the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission executive director.

Harper said that if there is going to be a study of the project, it should include the impact of the road on the local people.

"These people are worried," he said.

When Swanson was asked if NIRPC's endorsement of the study is a stamp of approval for the Illiana, he said "No, we're not."

He noted the commission had backed the idea of a long-range suburban transportation needs study in 2005 and in December 2006 supported the study of the Illiana Expressway across the south end of the three counties, as one of eight key legislative initiatives for this session of the General Assembly.

"We've also asked for corridor protection legislation. INDOT does not have the ability to protect corridors from being lost to development," he said.

He said proposed legislation to record future roadways on planning and zoning maps would likely be based on similar Illinois laws.

Toward the end of the meeting, Sandy O'Brien of the Duneland Sierra Club Took Harper's point one step further.

"This expressway is being boosted in a very one-sided way by NIRPC and the press," she said.

Kay Nelson, director of environmental affairs for the Northwest Indiana Forum, weighed in by telling the committee, "The forum is definitely in support of a study (of the Illiana Expressway)."