Northwest Indiana Discussion

[url=http://nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/article_3c72af29-5481-52ca-b010-23383d0be287.html]Senate approves Illiana

House will now consider plan for public-private partnership to build proposed expressway[/url]

By Dan Carden - dan.carden@nwi.com, (317) 637-9078 | Posted: Friday, January 29, 2010 12:05 am | (13) Comments

INDIANAPOLIS | The Indiana Senate gave an overwhelming thumbs-up to the Illiana Expressway on Thursday night.

The Senate voted 48-0 to send legislation to the House that authorizes a public-private partnership to build and operate a proposed Illiana Expressway. The estimated cost of the proposed expressway is between $600 million and $1 billion.

State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, shepherded the Illiana proposal through the Senate. He said an Illiana Expressway would relieve congestion on the Borman Expressway, cut travel times in the region, provide new economic development opportunities and improve road safety.

"We're at a moment in time where we have the stars aligning," Charbonneau said. "We have interest in the state of Illinois, with the governor and the Legislature, interest in Indiana, with the Indiana Department of Transportation interested in moving forward with this very significant project."

The legislation adds the Illiana to a state list of roads that can be built using a public-private partnership system. The state would forever own the land under the road, but a private operator would build and collect tolls for use of the road.

"The bill would allow the state to move forward with credibility when talking to potential investors," Charbonneau said.

The legislation now moves onto the House for consideration by that chamber.

The proposed Illiana Expressway would connect Interstate 65 in Lake County to Interstate 55 in Joliet, Ill. A specific route for the road has not been determined.

However, not everyone is happy with the proposed length of the road. In a letter sent to state lawmakers this week, Lake County Commissioner Gary Scheub said the Illiana should start at Interstate 80/94 near LaPorte or Michigan City and run through southern Lake County near Lowell before heading into Illinois.

"Who benefits more with the Illiana as it is presently proposed? Illinois, of course! Indiana’s benefit and real relief of traffic congestion would not happen in Indiana’s portion of I-80/94," Scheub said.

If Governor Daniels has any integrity about him, he'll veto the Illiana Expressway.

Great topic Arc.

Why?
Ever been on the Illinois tollway system?
Ever been on the Indiana Tollroad?

Yeah and who the hell is going to go all the way to South Lake County to get on this ridiculous thing? It will be a busy as 49 is.

The whole point is that when you are coming up from the South, you can break West without contributing to the overflow on 80/94.

How old are you?

Or you could just get on the empty Toll Road...

Illiana headed to governor's desk

Senate votes 42-0 to accept House changes to expressway proposal

NDIANAPOLIS | The Illiana Expressway bill is one signature away from becoming law after the Indiana Senate voted 42-0 on Tuesday to send Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels legislation authorizing the proposed toll road to be built as a public-private partnership.

Daniels told The Times he will sign it.

"It's no guarantee that we can effect the transaction and get the road built, but it clears the way," Daniels said. "I'm very excited. This is exactly what we've been advocating a long time."

Standing before the Senate on Tuesday afternoon, state Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, explained that the $1 billion Illiana proposal that left the Republican-controlled Senate in January came back from the Democratic-controlled House as a $5 billion infrastructure program, including a potential $4 billion private investment for Ohio River bridges.

He urged the Senate to accept the changes made by the House.

"This is the jobs bill of this session, no question about it," Charbonneau said.

"There are going to be jobs for a long time to come, and that's just the construction part of it because the economic development is going to come later on," he said.

The Illiana Expressway is a proposed toll road connecting Interstate 65 in Lake County with Interstate 55 near Joliet, Ill. The 10-mile long portion of the Illiana Expressway in Indiana is estimated to cost between $600 million and $1 billion depending on the route, and it could create about 30,000 new jobs, according to a state report.

Senate Bill 382 allows Indiana to begin looking for a private investor to build and operate the road. The state will own the land underneath the road.

As the vote board turned green with yes votes Tuesday, Charbonneau stood at his desk and smiled, before turning to shake hands with House proponents, state Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, and state Rep. Steven Stemler, D-Jeffersonville.

The Illiana proposal nearly died several times in the House when lawmakers from outside Northwest Indiana tried to wedge their issues into the legislation. Charbonneau said all those games and maneuvers made him eager to hear the gavel slam down in the Senate on Tuesday.

"Right up until the last, until I saw those green lights go on, my heart was pounding fast, and I wasn't breathing very well," Charbonneau said. "It's done.

"It's a great day for Indiana."

That's if you want to go to Chicago.
All that traffic will be able to go around the city & the burbs with the expressway.
Ya can't do that now.
Right now if there's an accident on the Borman it's a parking lot & gridlock on US 30.

Yeah, I'm all for it and the sooner the better. 355 cut through a lot of rich farmland south of 88 and objection was fierce, but it's now a heavily traveled toll road.

Yep

355 is the "state of the art" toll road...that's of course if you have an "I Pass".

Oh yeah edge. I had to take out a bank loan the first time I traveled it without I-Pass. I think it multi-$4 pops, right?

Yes, without the I pass it's doubled plus you have to stop & wait in line to pay the toll.
With the I pass it's nonstop 70mph. It's a shame that the Indiana toll road is still in the horse & buggy era.

Illiana Expressway plan signed into law
Governor touts public-private construction effort
Comments

March 19, 2010
BY CHRISTIN NANCE LAZERUS, (219) 648-3086

The Illiana Expressway bill garnered Gov. Mitch Daniels' signature on Thursday.

The law will allow the state to enter in a public-private partnership to build and develop the Illiana Expressway.

The road would connect Interstate 65 in Indiana with Interstate 57 or Interstate 55 in Illinois, but the exact route hasn't been determined.

A private company would operate the expressway as a toll road, but the state would retain ownership of the land. Illinois-based investment and insurance company Ullico has expressed interest at financing the construction of the road.

The bill also authorizes a public-private partnership project for bridges over the Ohio River.

State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, said the project will spur economic development and job creation.

"With this proposal signed into law today, we are one step closer to creating thousands of jobs for Hoosiers," Charbonneau said.

Charbonneau said nearly $5 billion in potential new highway and bridge projects -- paid for without tax dollars -- are included in this bill.

"We can help boost the state's economy, provide jobs and make Indiana's roads and bridges safer by investing in this infrastructure," he said.

Daniels said public-private partnership financing is the only practical means of making the project happen.

"While other states are shuttering their highway programs, Indiana is shattering all records for infrastructure investment, and this could extend that record with enormous benefit to Hoosiers at opposite corners of our state," Daniels said.

The governor is interested in a bi-state commission with Illinois to handle the construction, and he plans to meet with Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn to discuss the project.

A similar commission was established for the Ohio River bridges spanning into Kentucky. Daniels appointed several members to the unpaid positions. They would be assisted by the Indiana Department of Transportation.

Illinois legislators OK Illiana Expressway

Bill permits public-private partnership to be used to build, operate road

By wide margins in both chambers, the Illinois General Assembly approved legislation Thursday authorizing the use of a public-private partnership to build the Illiana Expressway.

The measure now goes before Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn -- who is expected to sign it. Gov. Mitch Daniels has already signed into law similar legislation for the Indiana portion of the road.

"The fact that we've gotten two states to come up with enabling language for one specific project in the same legislative cycle is an exciting day," said state Sen. Toi Hutchinson, D-Chicago Heights, the sponsor of the legislation in the Illinois Senate.

The Senate approved Senate Bill 3659 58-0 Thursday night. Earlier Thursday, the Illinois House voted 116-1 for the measure.

The Illiana Expressway is a proposed highway connecting Interstate 65 in Lake County with Interstate 55 near Joliet, Ill. The road is intended to relieve traffic on the often-congested Borman Expressway and spur economic development along its likely route in south Lake County and into Illinois.

Hutchinson said she is excited by the estimated $6 billion in projected economic development and the more than 13,000 permanent jobs expected to come into Illinois as a result of the road.

"We're just ripe in this area for investment in infrastructure," Hutchinson said.

Indiana is expected to reap some 10,000 permanent new jobs related to development along its 10-mile portion of the Illiana Expressway.

Since neither Indiana nor Illinois have adequate state funds to pay for the road project, lawmakers in both states said a public-private partnership is the best way to get the road built.

Under that system, each state would own the land underneath the road in its state, while the road itself would be built and operated by a private investor who'd collect tolls for its use.

Indiana state Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, said the process of looking for an investor to build the road can begin.

"We now have some credibility out in the marketplace with potential investors that are looking for opportunities to invest their money," Charbonneau said.

Daniels has proposed establishing a bi-state commission to promote the project and evaluate bidders before the states decide who will build and operate the expressway.