Plan for Illiana tollway clears another hurdle

Three Republican senators joined 16 Democrats to support an amendment forcing the governor to get approval from a committee of legislators before moving ahead with the Commerce Connector. The amendment failed by seven votes.

State Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, said the debate did show that the Illiana has more legislative support than the Commerce Connector.

"I think that's probably true," she said. "Up in the northwest region, we have been talking about the Illiana for years. And so we already know sort of where we want it to go and what we want it to do. We're trying to get congestion off the Borman (Expressway), and everybody recognizes that need."

Tallian won support Thursday for an amendment clarifying the makeup of a review committee that would advise -- not direct -- the governor and the Indiana Department of Transportation on the planning of the Illiana. The committee now must include one legislator each from Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties, and one member from either Jasper, Newton or Starke counties.

The legislation first must get to the governor, and House Speaker Pat Bauer, D-South Bend, made that prospect sound dicey in a meeting Thursday with reporters. Asked if he agreed with Daniels' mantra that roads mean jobs, Bauer said "sometimes roads mean concrete cornfields and houses torn down."

SB 1 now awaits a vote by the full Senate, which could come as soon as next week. It would then move to the House.