By HERB MARYNELL

Evansville Courier & Press staff writer

Four of the state's five preferred routes for Interstate 69 across Southwestern Indiana would connect Evansville with the Washington, Ind., area. That gives hope of a final route that many officials in Evansville want - one providing an interstate connection close to Bloomington, Ind., and opening up counties along the route for future economic development.

The preferred routes announced Wednesday in a draft environmental impact statement released by Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner J. Bryan Nicol left Terre Haute, Ind., out in the cold.

The only preferred corridor using U.S. 41 would angle away from the highway north of Vincennes in a northeastern direction to eventually link with Indiana 37 to Indianapolis.

The U.S. 41/I-70 corridor would be the least costly with the least environmental effect on wetlands, farmland, forest and endangered species, according to the state's I-69 consultant's report.

But, Nicol said the route also ranked the lowest on meeting major goals, including long-term economic growth, travel time savings, improving international freight movement and economic benefits to a wide spectrum of regional residents.

That route also would require relocation of up to 460 homes and businesses, the report said. However, three of the preferred corridors also would mean relocating more than 500 homes and businesses.

Backers of the U.S. 41 and I-70 corridor were quick to condemn the state's report.

"You can't design the study to come up with a predetermined conclusion." U Andrew Knott, Air and Energy Policy director for the Hoosier Environmental Council, says the study is biased against the U.S. 41/I-70 route

Andrew Knott, Air and Energy Policy director for the Hoosier Environmental Council,called it "astonishing" that the U.S. 41/I-70 route was classified as not preferred, particularly since "this (study) is about the impact on the environment."

He said the study is biased against the U.S. 41/I-70 route. "You can't design the study to come up with a predetermined conclusion," Knott said.

Other corridors being considered would be only 12 miles shorter than using U.S. 41 and I-70, he said.

"Do you waste hundreds of millions of tax dollars and thousands of acres of farm and forest land to save 12 miles? The answer is no." Knott said.

The study said fixing U.S. 41 to interstate standards would be about $1 billion.

But, Nicol said the cost to upgrade I-70 to six lanes wasn't included in the study since the state already is committed to that project.

The costs of the five preferred corridors range from $1.1 billion to $1.82 billion.

Evansville Mayor Russ Lloyd Jr. said he was pleased with the preferred corridors list, adding the U.S. 40/I-70 route "should not receive any more serious consideration."

The state had 12 route alternatives for I-69 between Indianapolis and Evansville. Although five routes are now preferred, Nicol said that doesn't mean the other seven are eliminated from consideration.

Two corridors that scored the best on the state's project goals are among the favorite routes for many local I-69 backers.

The routes, designated 3B and 3C, would go through the Washington area, angle east past the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center and connect to Indiana 37 near Bloomington.

The state said 3B met all nine project goals and 3C eight, according to the study. Nicol also said that a route near the Crane center was important.

Two other preferred corridors, designated 4B and 4C, would go through the Washington area, then along the Indiana 67 corridor to connect either with Indiana 37 or I-70 west of Indianapolis.

The fifth corridor, designated 2C, would go from U.S. 41 north of Vincennes, along the Indiana 67 corridor and eventually to Indiana 37.

Four of the five preferred routes would use the Indiana 37 corridor, which state officials said increases project and relocation costs but also provides the most benefit in improving traffic flow and safety.

Nicol said three of the original corridors fell from the preferred list because of environmental concerns.

Two eastern-most alternatives that would go near Bedford, Ind., face environmental issues that the state wants to avoid involving the Tincher Special Area of the Hoosier National Forest, Blue Springs Cavern, Martin State Forest, and other areas, Nicol said. Another earlier alternate isn't attractive because it would go through Beanblossom Bottoms Nature Preserve, he said.

Although the five preferred routes would affect thousands of acres of farmland, forest and wetlands, Nicol said the impacts would be .2 percent or less of the total acreage of those areas in Southwestern Indiana.

Public hearings on the draft environmental impact statement will be held this month. Nicol said a final route will be recommended later this year.

The public hearings will be from 5 to 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 19 at Terre Haute South High School; Aug. 20 at Bloomington North High School; and Aug. 21 at Harrison High School in Evansville.

A 90-day public comment period on the study will end Nov. 7, Nicol said.

The Indianapolis to Evansville I-69 is the first leg of the plan to extend the interstate from Indianapolis to the Texas/Mexico border.

Another study is under way on where to locate I-69 around Evansville and into Kentucky.

© 2001 The E.W. Scripps Co.