Shawn McGrath, Herald Bulletin
shawn.mcgrath@heraldbulletin.com
Fears that Pendleton could morph into a latter-day Carmel or Zionsville - once small towns that are quickly becoming, if not already, full-fledge cities - were enough to make Russell R. Adams against the ambitious Indiana Commerce Connector interstate project.
"Actually, I'm not sad they're not going to do it," said Adams, a 17-year Pendleton resident who moved from Indianapolis. "I've seen what's been done (there) and I don't want to see it done to Pendleton. Pendleton is a nice little town, and I'd hate for it to become the same way."
Saturday, Adams and many other area residents got their wish.
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels is now asking state legislators to take no action on the proposed ICC, likely killing the project, at least for now.
In a letter sent Saturday to state Rep. Terri Austin, D-District 36, and Sen. Tom Wyss, R-District 15, the governor cites a lack of consensus for the project as well as the Illiana Expressway east of Interstate 65 in northwest Indiana. The proposal for the Illiana Expressway west of I-65, however, will likely still move forward in the House.
"After legislative action to date, some 40 public meetings, and lots of other open debate, it is clear to me that we are far from the degree of consensus that is necessary before embarking on major public works projects of high local impact," Daniels writes in the letter.
"Accordingly, I withdraw the suggestion that any action be taken on an Indiana Commerce Connector, or Illiana Expressway east of I-65," he continues. "Either of these ideas might benefit from further research, and I would welcome some form of that if your committees are so inclined. But the people of the affected areas have spoken clearly enough to persuade me that these are, at best, premature."
The ICC project would have created a 75-mile outerbelt toll road linking five interstate highways around Indianapolis, starting at Interstate 69 near Pendleton. Daniels' proposal called for a public-private partnership, under which the ICC would be built, maintained and operated by a private contractor, but owned by the state.
The bill had passed the Senate and was in the House Roads and Transportation Committee, which Austin chairs.
Wyss, chair of the Homeland Security, Transportation and Veterans Committee, authored of Senate Bill 1, which included the proposed legislation.
"Overwhelmingly, people are against this," Austin said Saturday, adding that the decision "will open the door for us to continue to look at the issue of mass transit, particularly in central Indiana."
Austin said the public's response was "overwhelmingly against" the project during a series of field hearings, including one in Pendleton on March 15.
She said the field hearing in Shelbyville on Thursday attracted about 1,200 people, with another 300 turned away because of concerns of over crowding where the hearing was held. Of the total, only 100 people were in favor of the ICC.
"And we still have two field hearings left," she said. "The sense was that folks were overwhelmingly against the project."
Many were against the possible loss of farmland, and many held the view that the project was moving too fast, Austin said.
She also said many also felt there needed to be a new study done to determine if the project was even needed.
That's not an issue for Don Henderson, Pendleton Town Council president. He knows the interstate is needed, if not now, then definitely in the not-too-distant future.
"I've been supportive of the project because at some point we're going to need to move forward with infrastructure and that was an important part of central Indiana's infrastructure future - whether it's now or later," Henderson said. "Later, it becomes too difficult to accomplish.
"It's not a wish list - it's a must list," he said. "I think it's off the table now, but I think it's going to happen."