Voice of the People

Dear Senator Heinold,

I am writing with the following concerns regarding the proposed Illiana Expressway.

The proposed route of the expressway is through the very heart of Porter County’s agricultural area. A current land use study for the County’s comprehensive plan indicated the best soils for agriculture are located in Morgan Township in the location of the conceptual route for the toll road. During this study the citizens of the County were vocal in favor of preserving the rural nature and protecting the natural resources, that which is prime farmland the proposed route will run through.

The proposed route is very close to the Pinney-Purdue Research Farm that provides a valuable service to local farmers. I have to ask, what impact will this toll road have on the research farm, and what impact will there be to the local farm families?

Per the Porter County Land Use Plan, growth was to be located adjacent to the existing cities, but history has shown that ring expressways around urban areas have created another layer for sprawl. This growth does not compliment the urban cores, but deteriorates them. Are we now wanting growth to come to open fields instead of having growth next to the existing urban and suburban areas where local governments can supply the necessary services without further burdening the taxpaying citizens?

How long will this boost the economy once the toll road is built and the construction workers are gone? Will this help boost Peotone’s chances for having the third airport in the area, and if so, will this area continue to support the Gary Airport? You might remember, I was an avid supporter of the RDA that was created to help the Gary Airport. I don’t believe there are too many areas in the country that can support four major airports. If the current support for the Gary Airport falls short due to the Peotone Airport what will this do to the urban areas of Hammond, East Chicago and Gary, and the first-ring suburbs of Portage, Highland, Griffith and Lake Station?

Our current toll way running through the northern section of Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties is not running at capacity, and is an alternative to the Borman Expressway. But the Borman continues to be congested with heavy truck traffic due to our proximity to Chicago. I question how this proposed toll road will relieve the congestion of trucks and traffic.

I urge you to vote against this proposal. I see no benefits to the citizens of Porter County for the reasons I’ve stated above.

Rita Stevenson,

Porter County Council District 2

Posted 1/26/2007