SOUTHERN INDIANA — A nonprofit think tank has released a 30-year plan that details infrastructure needs over 15 counties in southeastern Indianathat will give local and state leaders guidance in pushing for more funding.
The Conexus Southeast Regional Logistics Council, made up of 32 local private business representatives, has come up with a list of 63 long-term logistical transportation projects as well as workforce development and public policy needs.
It's the first list of infrastructure needs developed solely by the business sector. And it could make all the difference for logistics companies.
"We operate heavy trucks," Kerry Stemler, president and CEO of KM Stemler Company Inc. and council member said. "I'll tell you right now if you sit still in traffic, it's costing you money ... Obviously to make this commerce move across this region is important."
Doug Prather, president of Ranger Enterprises LLC and chair of SERLC, said the projects will decrease bottlenecks and increase connectivity among different modes of transportation.
"Freight moves through southeast Indiana every day — whether by road, water, air or rail," Prather said during a news conference Tuesday at Mountjoy Chilton Medley LLC in Jeffersonville. "As the crossroads of America, our region and the state as a whole play a significant role in how products travel from manufacturing floor to store shelves. Logistics impacts our everyday lives."
The next step in implementing the plan is to approach local officials — mayors, county commissioners — as well as business leaders not in the logistics sector for buy in, David Holt, vice president of operations and business development for Conexus Indiana, said.
"They’re going to then go to their state legislators and their state senators and say, 'We need this stuff to happen,' which will then push for a funding debate that will occur," Holt said. "So we believe that in 2017 when the General Assembly reopens the budget, that these projects will help push some of the needs that will occur for transportation funding in the future."
Conexus Indiana has created six plans for six regions in Indiana. The southeast region is made up of Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Bartholomew, Dearborn, Decatur, Franklin, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley and Switzerland counties.
The plan, which has been two years in the making, lists projects important to the entire region and projects needed by county. Some are already in the works.
Regional priority projects include additional lanes for Interstate 65, an Indianapolis-to-Louisville rail line upgrade and completion of the Ohio River Bridges Project.
Clark County is the recipient one of the three "Tier 1" priority local projects, which is the Interstate 265/Ind. 62 interchange that's almost complete.
Tier 2 priority local projects that involve Clark County are River Ridge Airport Connector and Ind. 62 improvements. Floyd is not listed as a recipient for any local projects but could benefit from regional projects such as Sherman Minton Bridge reconstruction and Interstate 64 additional lanes.
Mapping out areas of priority helps the region see a bigger picture.
"I would say that the way the growth patterns in Clark and Floyd counties are moving can be facilitated by proper transportation planning," Wendy Dant Chesser, One Southern Indiana CEO and President and council member said.
Each individual project has a price tag but the council didn't compound those costs into one figure because not every single project is necessary.
"In some counties, there will be two projects that can do the same thing," Holt said.
Almost every county had a representative on the council.
"What they'd said is, 'We need this entire list at some point,'" Holt said.