Commissioners provide some clarity on county’s role in Mid-States Corridor project

Dubois County Commissioner Chad Blessinger presented questions and responses from Indiana Department of Transportation officials regarding the Midstates Corridor project during Monday’s regular meeting, highlighting significant financial obligations and local impacts that lie ahead.

Blessinger told those in attendance he had been involved in several meetings over the past two weeks.

“I have participated in something called the Mid-States Corridor Agency Corridination meeting, I went to a Coalition Against the Mid-States Corridor town hall meeting. I’ve been to Community Advisory Committee meeting and the Mid-States Public Information meeting that was held at the middle school,” he stated, outlining his recent involvement and information gathering.

Based on those meetings he had attended and questions he had received from the public, Blessinger reached out to INDOT for that information. He received answers to those questions from Kyanna Wheeler, the major projects delivery project manager for the Midstates Corridor Project. He had asked her to attend the meeting, but she was unable to because of a commitment in Seymour; she would attend the November 17 meeting.

The most significant revelation concerned the local funding requirement. The project now carries an estimated cost of $1.1 billion, not including land acquisition costs, which means the 10% local match has increased substantially from the original $60 million estimate.

“Based on the preliminary estimates, the number range was 90 million to $135 million in local match,” Blessinger said.

He explained that the match would likely come from the county, Huntingburg, and Jasper.

He added that Wheeler has explained that INDOT was open to multiple sources and approaches to fund the match. Part of that local contribution could come through the relinquishment of US 231, with local governments taking over maintenance of the existing road.

Blessinger offered his own opinion, noting that he was only a third of the commission, that he wasn’t in favor of funding the corridor. He added that he also wasn’t prepared to take over U.S. 231 until the corridor was built. “I don’t know if that road is going to take five years, 15 years or what so I don’t want to make promises today, personally, based on so many unknowns,” he said.

That is why the county declined to take part in the study of the highway being conducted by Huntingburg and Jasper.

Blessinger strongly opposed using county funds for the project. “I wouldn’t vote to put 90 [million] – I wouldn’t vote to put a dollar from county funds into the road myself,” he said during the meeting.

He also questioned why INDOT was pushing for a commitment from the county to take over U.S. 231 at this stage in the process. Wheeler told him that INDOT was seeking that information to assist in its future planning for U.S. 231 and to create a budget for the project as a whole.

Regarding the timeline for taking over US 231 maintenance, Blessinger said it appeared that “INDOT would remain responsible for maintenance of US 231 until Midstates Corridor is open and complete unless the county is open to other alternatives as part of the relinquishment agreement.”

This represents a change from earlier discussions where local governments understood they would immediately begin maintaining the road upon taking ownership.

When Blessinger questioned the benefits specifically for Dubois County residents, Wheeler cited travel time savings as the primary advantage. The project would generate “over 300,000 hours of travel time savings annually within the 12-county study area, which is 600 hours per day of travel savings” for commuters, plus additional truck hour savings.

However, Blessinger remained skeptical about local benefits. “I can see how Midstates Corridor improves transportation for the state. I struggle to see how it is beneficial for the average Dubois County citizen,” Blessinger stated.

Safety improvements represent another claimed benefit. Wheeler explained that “the design of the corridor is more safe than other existing roads in the area, including the existing US 231” due to divided lanes separating opposing traffic and improved intersection configurations.

Addressing concerns about increased commute times for local residents who must use J-turns to cross the new corridor, Wheeler said the additional time has been factored into their calculations. Despite individual commutes potentially adding a minute and a half each way, the overall model still shows net travel-time savings, according to INDOT.

Regarding local road impacts, Wheeler assured that counties will not bear construction costs for necessary road realignments. “The county will not be responsible for constructing any improvements identified as part of the project,” she stated in her response to Blessinger’s inquiry. “All elements, including the local facility connections, will be constructed as part of the Midstates Corridor project.”

However, any improvements beyond what appears on official project maps would remain the responsibility of local authorities. Blessinger cited County Road 400 as an example, noting that it would need significant improvements to become an access point to the corridor.

Blessinger explained that his comments were based on ensuring the conversations on the corridor continue in public.

“I want to be transparent to the public,” Blessinger said. “The people out in the public, I think, feel like they’re getting not the full story all the time. And me as an elected official, I don’t feel like I always know the full story either.”

During the public comment portion of the meeting, several attendees spoke out against the corridor.

Sheila Wendholt pointed out that although groups continue to express concerns about the completed Mid-States Corridor, county officials need to focus on the impact on public services during construction.

“How do we get to work? How do our kids get from St. Henry to Holland to school?” she asked, adding that it will likely cause her to add 10 miles to her daily commute.

Additionally, she asked how fire and emergency services that provide assistance or respond to those areas would be disrupted during the construction.

“Nobody talks about the daily impact of the construction,” she said.

Roger Pund thanked the commissioners for providing these details and keeping the conversation going publicly.

He explained that he was concerned about the impact on local taxes if the corridor were constructed, given the $46 million per mile cost.

Holland Councilman John Kaltenbacher explained he grew up in Chrisney, and when U.S. 231 was moved, the town died. He expressed similar concerns for the county if the Mid-States Corridor is completed.