Bettina Puckett, Shelbyville News Staff Writer
A map of the proposed outer beltway for Indianapolis shows a 15-mile-wide swath that cuts down through Shelby County, but a local study group to be formed this month could have a say in fine-tuning the new road's route.
The 75-mile proposed toll road, dubbed the "Indiana Commerce Connector," would intersect four interstates at six locations. Gov. Mitch Daniels' plan would link five counties, including Shelby, that are located east and south of Indianapolis.
At a county commissioners' conference in Indianapolis last week, Shelby County commissioners discussed the proposed public-private tollway with commissioners from the other four affected counties, plus three bordering counties.
Shelby County Commissioner Tony Newton said Thursday's 7:30 a.m. meeting included Betsy Burdick, who is Daniels' deputy chief of staff. Burdick said only six commissioners attended the "kick-off" meeting.
"They told us at the meeting that they want the help from all the counties (involved) to dictate where this would best go," Newton said.
The road would wind from Interstate 69 near Pendleton and pass through Hancock County near Greenfield, Shelby County near Shelbyville, Johnson County near Franklin and Morgan County near Martinsville before ending at Interstate 70 just west of Mooresville.
The proposed bypass is expected to generate new development east and south of Indianapolis and could ease traffic congestion on I-465 and I-69 in Hamilton County. However, critics of the bypass fear it could lure development away from Marion County and stimulate sprawl.
Burdick told the commissioners that Daniels would like each county to form a small "working group" that will represent all of the various concerns involved with the project.
"The teams will be addressing the issues that are relevant to the project, keeping in mind that there will be similarities and differences among communities," Burdick said in a telephone interview Monday.
Burdick said she is hopeful the counties will form their groups in December, so that all of the teams can "start diving into the issues" in January. She said the Indiana Department of Transportation will work with the counties to form the teams.
Newton said the Shelby County team will likely consist of one county commissioner; Shelbyville Mayor Scott Furgeson; Amy Butcher, executive director of the Shelby County Plan Commission; Tom DeBaun, Shelbyville Plan Commission director; a representative from Morristown ; and one other person.
Commissioner-elect Dave Mohr said he believes that sixth seat should be filled by someone who will represent local landowners.
Burdick said the Shelby County team does not necessarily have to have six members. "I don't know what the number is - six, 10 or 12 - but we want something manageable," she said. "There needs to be adequate representation."
"They've got to have our help to sell the project," Newton said. "Right now, the whole thing is just a study anyhow. Nothing is finalized. Nothing is in stone."
Eminent domain - the government's right to seize private land for public purposes - almost certainly would have to be used to acquire land for the tollway, which would be built and operated by a private company. If the estimated $1 billion to $1.5 billion road is built, private investors would collect toll fees. Those rates would be set with state oversight.
While some aspects of the new tollway would be negotiable, the governor's concept of it being a public-private partnership is apparently not up for debate. "(Burdick) did tell us that if it can't be a (public-private) toll road, it won't be built," Newton said.
Commissioners from the other counties voiced a number of concerns about the proposed road at Thursday's meeting, including drainage issues and farmland preservation, Mohr said.
Mohr said he remembers the fuss over I-74 when it was built through Shelby County about 50 years ago. "There was a big fight back then," he said. "Now, you couldn't do without (Interstate) 74."
Burdick said state officials will strive to get community input on the tollway. "There are many, many (governmental) hurdles and much more to be done before this is ready to go," she said.
"Currently, we do not have authorization to build the Commerce Connector as a public-private partnership," Burdick said. "We would need legislative approval to do this project."
Daniels announced his proposal on Nov. 9 - just two days after the midterm election. "We think it has a lot of promise," Burdick said. "It would be huge for economic development."
Burdick said both houses of the General Assembly will likely hold field hearings on the bypass. "Everyone's goal is to reach out to the communities that will be affected," she said.
Newton said that people should not get too excited about the new tollway yet. "Everything is purely in a study phase," Newton said. "It might be something that happens in two years, or it might not happen for 20 years. You just never know when you deal with the state."
If approved by the General Assembly, construction on the tollway could begin in 2008 and would be completed in 10 years.