The Indy Star has an article entitled Daniels’ plan could privatize 2 interstates, though I’m not sure the headline accurately reflects what is in the article.
As I read it, Gov. Daniels is proposing hiking up the fees on the Toll Road (I-80/90) and making the new stretch of I-69 a toll road when it is built. In addition, Daniels said the state would pursue the option of leasing out tolling and concessions rights along both the Toll Road and the yet-to-be-built stretch of I-69, as well as on two planned bridges over the Ohio River near Louisville. In exchange, private companies would operate and maintain those roads.
I loathe toll roads. I think that, next to public safety, building and maintaining infrastructure is the government’s most important job. But, if there is no other way to get a highway, I think it’s tolerable (barely) to make that highway a toll road. So, making the new stretches of I-69 toll don’t bother me overly much — if there is no other way. But, increasing the tolls on the northern stretch to pay for a highway for southwestern Indiana strikes me as unacceptable. Personally, I think gas taxes are a perfectly reasonable way to fund road construction and maintenance. Even more, I think general taxation is an even better way to pay for road construction and maintenance. Every last Hoosier benefits from a good road system. Better roads means more commerce means more jobs even for folks who don’t drive.
Update: Of some interest to me, but probably not to those in other parts of the state, I see that the Hoosier Heartland Corridor made the list of priority transportation construction projects. The Hoosier Heartland Corridor currently connects Fort Wayne to Logansport. The corridor will be extended by improving State Road 25 from Logansport through Delphi to I-65 in Lafayette. Eventually, the plan is to construct a good highway from Fort Wayne to Toledo and on up to the Great Lakes. (Just an aside, but I’ve always been surprised there isn’t a better route from Fort Wayne to Toledo. I’m not from around there, so I’m probably missing a shortcut, but it seems like you have to go a fair distance pretty much due north to the I-80/90 Toll Road which swoops back down southeast, before heading due east to Toledo. I’ve taken US 6 to cut the corner. You go through some nice towns, but it’s not fast.)
The Journal & Courier also provides a link to the 10 year project list (PDF)
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