HUNTINGBURG — The construction of an Interstate 67 corridor, which would connect Dubois County to Indianapolis and Owensboro, could be fast-tracked if the project is ranked as a priority by a government-appointed commission at the end of the year.
Members of the I-67 Development Corp. held a press conference Monday to discuss their plans for promoting the road. Coalition President Hank Menke, Huntingburg resident and CEO of OFS Brands, explained that independent logistics initiative Conexus Indiana has identified 19 critical corridors in the state that must be constructed or upgraded for optimized economic development and safety, and I-67 made the list.
The list is now being studied, and at the end of this year, a government-appointed blue ribbon commission will meet to prioritize each of the 19 projects. Those projects in Tier 1 will be recommended for completion within five years. Those in Tier 2 should be completed in six to eight years and Tier 3 projects should be finished in 15 to 20 years.
“We want to make darn sure that this project is either in Tier 1 or Tier 2,” Menke said.
The proposed I-67 would upgrade part of U.S. 231 to interstate quality and a new, 38-mile section of road would be constructed east of the current highway to connect to I-69 in Washington. The road would run on to Owensboro before continuing on to I-65 at Bowling Green.
Jasper Mayor Terry Seitz, a member of the coalition, said an endorsement from Conexus Indiana will go a long way toward cementing support from state and federal lawmakers for the road.
“Conexus Indiana is a transportation think tank. They’ve really become a private sector adviser to (the Indiana Department of Transportation),” Seitz said. “When they identify 19 corridors for the future of Indiana, it resonates, because they do it independently. They do it nonpolitically.”
While the coalition waits for the tiered ranking to be decided, Menke said the group will continue to focus on fundraising and spreading awareness about I-67.
“It’s going to be critical that we approach the councils of the different communities all the way up and down the corridor and we raise additional funds to be able to just continue the fight,” he said.
“For just the year and a half that we’ve been doing this, we’ve got everybody’s attention. It’s just a matter of talking about it and talking about it. This is so critical to our communities.”
The group traveled to Washington, D.C., last Tuesday to plead their case to Indiana Reps. Andre Carson, a Democrat, and Larry Bucshon and Todd Young, Republicans, along with Indiana Sens. Dan Coats, a Republican, and Joe Donelly, a Democrat. The members also met with Kentucky Rep. Brett Guthrie and Sen. Mitch McConnell, both Republicans. Menke said the proposal was well-received by the congressmen, and the group’s continued relationship with Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann has worked to bring the issue up in the governor’s office.
The coalition will also explore public–private partnership, also known as P3, opportunities, to possibly fund road construction through both government and private sector companies. Group members agreed that in the event that a new federal highway plan is not established and money runs dry, obtaining some funding from interested companies might be the best route toward completion of the corridor.
“One of the things we want to try to do this year is to meet with a lot of P3 experts, companies that do this every day,” Menke said. “This is the way that roads were built back in the ’30s and ’40s and ’50s.”
The five coalition members at the meeting — including Huntingburg Mayor Denny Spinner, Jasper attorney Eric Schue and John DiDomizio, business development director of Morley and Associates in Newburgh — were in agreement that the need for the road is still great.
“I cannot think of a more important thing for economic development for our communities,” Menke said. “We’ve got to get plugged into I-69.”
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