The Illiana expressway, public or private, is not in the best interest of Northwest Indiana.

Historically, it has never had strong NIRPC plan support because it was not affordable, would generate too much air pollution, and wouldn’t cure congestion on the Borman.

We oppose building the Illiana even up to I-65 as that would cause further sprawl and disinvestment in northern communities. Much better would be to invest money and planning effort on positioning Northwest Indiana for a lower energy future as the depletion of the oil is at hand, which will change everything.

 Global warming, a better economy, and social justice are other reasons to reinvent Northwest Indiana government and transportation for a sustainable future.

Government consolidation, revenue sharing between areas, fair share affordable housing, school system reform, smart growth, and an urban growth boundary would make public mass transit an affordable and efficient transportation alternative.

Sprawl drags down the economy with its higher taxes, air and water pollution, traffic congestion, higher energy cost, loss of undeveloped wild land and farm land, social isolation, and division between poor and rich communities. It is time for citizens to change the way business is done in Northwest Indiana.

We oppose a business as usual study for the Illiana, and require instead a study of:

• All of the environmental, social, and economic impacts in every community in the region from north to south and east, including impacts from induced sprawl

• Potential for increasing congestion due to induced sprawl

• Alternatives to the Illiana for reducing congestion including a strong regional land use plan and the other policies previously mentioned that would revitalize northern communities and shape the regions’ development and redevelopment to make public transit services efficient

• The longer term sustainability of a large infrastructure investment in such a fossil fuel intensive, sprawl inducing transportation mode as a beltway interstate. Declining fossil fuel supplies becoming very expensive and combating global warming require different, energy efficient transportation solutions. Could Indiana be more competitive in the future by starting on a sustainable path now?

• Alternatives to freight moving problems such as CREATE in Northeast Illinois

• Input from northern communities on who is hired to perform the study

• How it may affect development of Gary-Chicago airport, since the Illiana has long been linked to the Peotone (now Lincoln National) airport

Legislation (the final version of SB 1) must mandate:

• State legislative and local veto power over the Illiana even if proposed with a private partner, and prior to construction if it is to be built:

• Implementation of a strong regional land use plan, government consolidation, and the other policies that would revitalize northern communities and make public transit an efficient transportation mode and prevent sprawl and its traffic congestion

• A PACE and METRA type of integrated bus and rail system to get around within the region as well as to Chicago.

For more information, contact Sandy O’Brien, 942-2956, ecorealm@msn.com