By JENNIFER WHITSON

Evansville Courier & Press Indianapolis bureau

INDIANAPOLIS - Public hearings marking Hoosiers' final chance to weigh in on the 12 potential Interstate 69 routes start Monday.

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is taking an explanation of the draft environmental impact statement on the road once again and giving the public an opportunity to express its views at hearings in Terre Haute, Bloomington and Evansville.

But residents can also voice their opinions about the study via e-mail, mail or a toll-free hot line until Nov. 7, and many have already done that.

Gov. Frank O'Bannon's office has received more than 200 letters, an amount his office calls a "heavy volume," about the draft environmental impact statement, which was released July 31.

"Almost all are related to environmental concerns about how this project will affect various parts of the state depending on what routes are selected," said O'Bannon spokesman Andrew Stoner.

The department of transportation has also received hundreds of comments.

"I think what we're seeing is a lot of comments now coming in on particular routes," said Commissioner J. Bryan Nicol. "One thing that is not in dispute is the need for I-69. It's all about the route."

Federal law requires the department to have at least a 45-day comment period, but Nicol said the state chose to double that amount of time.

"It's important to note that comments that come in on the first day are viewed the same as comments that come in on day 89," he said. "We're glad that people are weighing in."

Nicol said remarks will be used to make improvements on the environmental impact study, which will be released in its final form suggesting one route by the end of the year. "I have a responsibility to look out for 5 million Hoosiers and millions more who use our roads and to make the best transportation decisions," Nicol said.

The hearings will be held in high school auditoriums in all three cities. The hearings will open at 5 p.m., giving participants an hour to peruse the many maps and visual aides department of transportation officials will have in tow to explain the impact statement.

Transportation officials also will have a computer table set up where the public can access the state's geographic information system database, which includes more than 100 maps layered over one another. A resident could, for example, ask to see population maps laid over information about environmentally sensitive areas, and then add a third layer that adds the potential I-69 routes. The computer will also be loaded with aerial views of all the potential routes.

Although an INDOT spokeswoman said they are not sure how many residents might turn out for the meetings, all of the auditoriums can seat more than 800 people.

The Indiana Department of Transportation will make a half-hour presentation about the draft environmental impact statement beginning at 6 p.m. After that, the public can speak.

© 2001 The E.W. Scripps Co.