Letter: Mid-States Corridor ignores residents’ wants

There is an electronic billboard on the southbound side of U.S. 231 between Haysville and Jasper proclaiming that the Mid-States Corridor will save commuting time and make for a safer commute. This is an interesting message and an interesting location.

Numerous studies have shown these statements to be inaccurate. A shorter commute depends on where one can enter and exit the corridor. An example, if local roads dead-end into the corridor then the added miles to an entrance/exit will make your commute longer. Regarding a safer commute, does one really believe school buses, farm equipment and horse-drawn vehicles crossing a multi-lane, high-speed highway without a traffic signal is safe? These are just two examples of how the Loch-Mueller Group is spreading propaganda for their agenda.

Recently, Purdue’s Local Technical Area Program (LTAP) provided an analysis of the status of INDOT’s funding for road maintenance and new construction. The analysis indicated nearly a billion-dollar shortfall in funding. In addition to this funding issue, the LTAP said that 28 percent of Indiana’s roads are in poor shape, and 41 percent are in fair shape. A real problem in funding is that as we move to more fuel-efficient or electric vehicles, we will take in less and less gas tax monies, which will only make the lack of funding even more of a problem.

The need to get our roads in good shape was shown by the fact that it costs between $150,000 to $1.5 million per mile to repair poor roads and only between $1,000 to $7,500 per mile to maintain good roads. Road preservation is the cheapest way to keep our roads in good shape. None of these funding shortfalls take into account the cost to build new terrain highways, i.e., the Mid-States Corridor. (For more information on the LTAP Analysis one can go to the Stop the Mid-States Corridor Facebook page.)

All of this current activity is another sign of the desperation the Mid-States Corridor folks, the Loch-Mueller Group, are experiencing. The good people of Dubois County are up in arms about the corridor, the Tier 2 Study, the letters and yes, the surveyors. It is election time and those in favor of the corridor are not representing the wants of the people. We have a representative form of government and it is important that we elect representatives who will represent our wants and needs and not their wants.

Let’s all keep in mind that we can stop the corridor. If you are angry about the corridor, talk to your family, friends and neighbors. Keep them informed. And, convince them to vote for people who are like-minded. There are many anti-corridor candidates in all political parties this year.

We can stop the corridor; all we need to do is vote and continue to say “No.”

Jim Arvin
Rutherford Township
Martin County