Letter: What connectivity is all about

When all else fails, start using the word “connectivity” to try to justify a transportation project. That is exactly the approach INDOT, the Lochmueller Group, and proponents of the proposed Mid-States Corridor continue to try to do. Since the purpose and need could NOT be based on improved safety or improved congestion like originally communicated, they changed the purpose and need to improved connectivity. We all have heard how they want to convince the public this project is all about improved travel time saved and better “connectivity”. I read in a recent article that Governor Braun, during a talk at the Jasper Chamber Annual Lunch, even included connectivity as one of his focused efforts for the state. Over the course of the past few years, I have learned through my work with the National Freeway Fighters Network this is a common practice with state departments of transportation when trying to justify a new road project. In fact, it is such an overused term to try to rationalize a project that many proposed projects are getting pushback from the public and local government officials, challenging this. The residents and local government officials of Dubois and Martin counties need to do the same. It is not just the property owners losing their home and land that is impacted, it is all of us.

Here is what is really happening and what the impact will be on residents. According to the Lochmueller study, the time saved to travel from Jasper to the Indianapolis Airport will be 3 minutes with the Mid-States Corridor. Traveling from Jasper to the Louisville airport will save 1 minute. Is this so-called “connectivity” worth the billions it will cost for this project? At the same time, every day commutes to the store, to the doctor’s office, to school, and for emergency vehicles to get to their destination will experience more time due to local roads being dead-ended and others having no access to the highway.  We already have existing roads that “connect” us to markets like Evansville, Louisville, Indianapolis, Bloomington, and other places. In some cases these roads can be improved, but instead INDOT continues to prefer to build new roads and because of how the Mid-States Corridor study was created and funded, INDOT and Lochmueller will continue to state that simply putting in passing lanes on the existing US 231 and improving intersections does not meet the purpose and need of the Mid-States Corridor, but saving a couple minutes and spending billions will.

The reality is this, using connectivity and travel time saved based on the Lochmueller study does NOT meet the requirements for the made-up purpose and need and any further work should be cancelled. Throughout the study process the Lochmueller study has continued to manipulate data and use misleading information to continue to try to justify this proposed project. The Federal Highway Administration along with the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) needs to do a much better job of evaluating all the data used for this project and reject it based on the real facts. Again, the rationale for improved connectivity, including time travel saved, is not justified.

Mark Nowotarski
Jasper