INDOT narrows Mid-States Corridor options to two expressway alternatives

The Indiana Department of Transportation and the Mid-States Corridor project team announced the release of their Draft Screening of Alternatives Report, recommending two expressway options for the proposed highway project that would span approximately 23 miles and cost more than $1 billion.

Alternative 2B and Alternative 3B were selected from six alternatives presented at a public meeting in April. Both alternatives are four-lane divided expressways with 60 mph design and posted speeds, featuring median-separated roadways.

Alternative 2B has a total construction cost of $1,046,914,000, or approximately $45.7 million per mile, spanning approximately 22.90 miles. This option requires 1,462 acres of right-of-way and would displace 46 homes, one commercial or industrial facility, and 15 agricultural operations.

Alternative 3B costs $1,099,452,000, or $47.0 million per mile, spanning approximately 23.40 miles. This alternative needs 1,483 acres of right-of-way but requires fewer relocations, displacing 27 homes, no commercial or industrial facilities, and 14 agricultural operations.

The environmental impacts differ between the two alternatives. Alternative 2B affects 61.0 acres of wetlands, 64,155 feet of streams, 275.6 acres of floodplains, 333.2 acres of non-wetland forests, and 869.1 acres of agricultural lands.

Alternative 3B impacts 61.1 acres of wetlands, 59,368 feet of streams, 256.8 acres of floodplains, 333.9 acres of non-wetland forests, and 874.5 acres of agricultural lands.

According to INDOT, Alternative 2B was selected because it has the lowest total right-of-way requirements, the lowest impacts to agricultural lands, the second-lowest impacts to wetlands, the lowest impacts to managed lands, the second-lowest impacts to agricultural operations, and the lowest impacts to identified archaeological resources. The alternative also offers the lowest cost and achieves the second-best overall performance in terms of the project’s core goals (reduced travel time for business, freight and employment).

Alternative 3B earned selection for requiring the second-lowest total right-of-way and having the lowest impacts to streams and floodplains. This option requires the fewest relocations across all categories, including residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural operations, and public use facilities. Alternative 3B ranks third-lowest in cost but achieves the highest performance on each of the project’s core goals.

The Draft NEPA document will consider six major design variations to these alternatives. These variations include the potential elimination of access at CR 1100 South, CR 400 South, and the Hunley Creek crossing options, as well as SR 162/Schnellville Road access configurations, SR 162 to SR 164 alignment variations to avoid a historic cabin, a quadrant roadway at US 231, and Haysville access options.

Both alternatives require extensive right-of-way acquisition and will permanently alter the landscape across their respective routes. The impacts on agricultural land represent a significant consideration, as both alternatives affect hundreds of acres of farmland.

The stream and floodplain impacts also present environmental challenges that will require careful mitigation planning. Alternative 3B’s lower impact on these water resources may influence the final selection process as environmental reviews continue.

The residential relocations represent one of the most sensitive aspects of both alternatives, with dozens of families potentially affected by the highway construction. Alternative 3B’s lower residential impact count of 27 homes compared to Alternative 2B’s 46 homes may factor into community acceptance and final decision-making.

The complete Draft Screening of Alternatives Report is available at MidStatesCorridor.com, which also features downloadable maps of the two alternatives and their variations. The report details the screening process and explains why these alternatives were chosen over the other options. It is also available below.

A public information meeting is scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 22, 2025, at Jasper Middle School, 3600 N. Portersville Road, Jasper. The meeting will feature displays, individual consultations with project team members, and a recorded presentation.

The meeting format is a public information session rather than a formal public hearing, so oral comments will not be recorded during the event.

Physical copies of the Draft Screening of Alternatives Report are available at multiple locations throughout the region. The Mid-States Corridor Project Office at 850 College Ave., Jasper, maintains regular hours every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Additional copies are available at the Indiana Department of Transportation Vincennes District office at 3650 Old US Hwy 41, Vincennes. Local libraries also provide access to the report, including Jasper Public Library at 100 Third Ave. and Huntingburg Public Library at 419 N Jackson St.

The official comment period for the Draft Screening of Alternatives Report closes on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. This timeline allows community members and stakeholders several weeks to review the detailed analysis and provide feedback on the recommended alternatives. Comments can be made online at MidStatesCorridor.com or by visiting the office at Vincennes University Jasper during open hours or by calling 812-482-3116 to set up an appointment.