Proposal to delay Indiana Commerce Connector plan defeated by state Senate

Daily Journal of Johnson County

A proposal to study whether a toll road through Johnson County is needed before giving the governor authority to build it was defeated today.

The state Senate voted against an amendment by state Sen. Jean Breaux, D-Indianapolis.

As the bill stands now, Gov. Mitch Daniels would be able to enter a contract with a private company to build the toll road without any legislative approval beyond this session.

The vote was 19-29.

State Sen. Brent Waltz, R-Greenwood, voted in favor of the amendment.

Daniels announced plans for the toll road in November. He billed it as a way to pay for Interstate 69, bring jobs to the area and relieve traffic congestion.

A route has not been determined nor have any studies been done to determine if the road will relieve congestion or attract jobs.

Studies on the environmental, tax and social impact of a toll road have not been done either.

Breaux's amendment would have removed the provisions that allow the governor and the Indiana Department of Transportation to approve of the location of the road, issue a request for a proposal and enter into a public-private agreement to construct the road.

The amendment would have kept in place the Commerce Connector Highway Proposal Review Committee. This committee would then return to the legislature with recommendations for the road after a thorough study.

"The amount of uncertainty that surrounds this project is stunning," Breaux said in a news release. "We have no knowledge of how this project with affect Indianapolis or the counties this road will run through. The governor has no idea. The General Assembly has no idea. The people of Central Indiana have no idea. I think the responsible thing to do is look at this more closely and find the answers that are currently absent."

The Indiana Commerce Connector would start in Pendleton and run around Indianapolis to the Plainfield area. The bill also includes the Illiana Expressway, a road in Northwest Indiana that would run from I-94 near Michigan City to I-55 in Illinois. Breaux's amendment would have had no effect on the Illiana Expressway.

"The Illiana Expressway is a project that has been talked about for years and studied adequately," Breaux added. "This amendment would not have further delayed this road and the benefits it can bring to the Northwest part of the state."

The bill will be eligible for a vote before the entire Senate on Monday.