Letter: Mid-States Corridor: Drastic impacts and landowner concerns ignored for sake of ‘progress’

Along with many others, I attended the Mid States Corridor meeting on September 26 and was not surprised that the Lochmueller Group, which is conducting the study, were simply trying to defend an indefensible need statement for the project, which is still not defensible after four studies accompanied by much public opposition for 40 years.

Just as they did with the Tier One study, the Corridor spokespeople had no credible mention of why Jasper “needs” to be developed and grow bigger but simply attempted to mollify landowners whose property would be needed by telling them that the actual roadway would be small—about 200 feet and wouldn’t require much of anyone’s land. However, they failed to acknowledge the fact that if built, this highway would drastically alter not only the “small” acreage those unfortunate ones would lose but would also negatively affect the quality of life for anyone in the vicinity of the pavement. In addition, it would have disastrous effects on the entire region, including the city of Jasper, and in the process, destroy much of what has always made the area truly prosperous.

Since Mike Braun and Mark Messmer sneaked in a state law that gave RDAs the power to initiate development without community participation, we are all between a rock and a hard place. Yet, those of us who recognize that “bigger is not better but simply different” and “change is not a synonym for progress” are all stakeholders, as well as tax-paying citizens who continue to be left out of the process. This brings to mind a phrase from the beginnings of our country: “No taxation without representation”. Sadly, though this sounds like the total tyranny of past centuries, we still have no Constitutional protection from this grave injustice.

 It’s more important than ever to continue to challenge the many untruths being spread about the “supposed benefits” of growth this highway is predicated on. Indiana has quite a few “bigger cities” for those who desire the amenities they provide, while farmland and forested lands are rapidly decreasing. Even as we speak, the I-69 Corridor is expanding south with the construction of a new Ohio River Bridge at Henderson. Does Indiana really need two taxpayer-funded north/south corridors that are so close together?

It’s time to stand firm and speak out until our concerns are finally taken seriously and quality-of-life issues are given precedence over material greed. Our common-sense proposal to fix the roads we have and focus on ensuring the productivity of this part of the state in ways that nourish our communities and our environment is far more likely to give us a better place to live today and move us into a better future.

Jeanne Melchior
Jasper