New expressway might hurt racial perception in Lake County

Pat Jackson isn't driving the push for the Illiana Expressway, but as it picks up speed she doesn't want to be left in the dust either.

The executive director of the Interfaith Federation acknowledges the expressway is almost certain to become a reality, but said a holistic approach that recognizes the concurrent need  to build affordable housing  and develop public transportation is a necessity.

"We realize it's going to happen whether we do anything about it or not," Jackson said. "One of the things we can do, though, is get a seat at the table to make sure this does not have any more negative impact than necessary."

Jackson said that includes not only reducing negative repercussions for communities along the Borman, but also for residents in south Lake County and Illinois whose property would be taken to create a new highway corridor.

Lonnie Randolph, president of the NAACP's East Chicago chapter, shares many of the same concerns about development of the Illiana Expressway.

He and Jackson said the expressway will pull many truckers and leisure travelers south, allowing them to bypass northern areas of Lake County. That, they said, will create a hardship for some existing businesses, eliminate jobs in the area and potentially erode the tax base in communities like Gary, East Chicago and Hammond at a time when the need for municipal services is only growing.

Ed Paesel,  executive director of the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association, disagrees, saying a successful effort to reduce Borman congestion actually could help northern Lake County  because "congested highways never are good for economic development."   He said the 42 communities represented by his organization unanimously support Illiana Expressway development.

"The critical thing is we've got to quickly get to the point where we can protect some of the right of way," he said.

Jackson and Randolph, however, say the potential negative impact isn't limited to economics. They  also agree development of the expressway could lead to a dangerous perception that the expressway itself is a way of furthering racial and economic segregation in the county.

"People who are critics of government or are civil rights advocates may look at that and say it's another way of keeping us down," Randolph said. "It's another way of cutting us out."

Lake County Commissioner Gerry Scheub said the desire to reduce congestion and improve safety on the Borman, Ridge Road and U.S. 30 provides the entire  impetus for the Illiana Expressway, and officials have few choices about where to locate it because continuing development has taken away many options.

"I just think we do need an alternate route and going down to route (Ind.) 10 is too far south. It isn't going to help 80/94 at all," Scheub said.

The availability of undeveloped land in southern Lake County will make the expressway more affordable and result in having to displace fewer people from their homes, he said.

"Wherever the route is going, you are going to have people who aren't going to want it. When push comes to shove, IDOT (the Illinois Department of Transportation) and INDOT (the Indiana Department of Transportation) will be making the decision about where it goes, when it goes and how it goes, not the commissioners."

That might be true, but Jackson said many factors must be considered by local officials.

"One thing I think people keep being shortsighted about is that ... building more highways doesn't reduce congestion. What does reduce congestion and pollution is public transportation," Jackson said.

"If we really want to have a more diverse Northwest Indiana, then we have to provide access to jobs, (public) transportation and affordable housing in all areas so people can choose where they want to live and work."