The Mooresville Town Council on Tuesday endorsed the Interstate 69 route that uses Ind. 37 from north of Martinsville to Interstate 465.
Town Council President Mark Mathis said the council sent a letter to the Indiana Department of Transportation supporting that route and asking to have input on interchange locations if the state chooses a different path.
An INDOT announcement on June 30 detailed five routes, which are considered preliminary alternatives. They chose those five from 14 routes. The 14 routes had been narrowed from 27 preliminary route choices.
All five routes follow the current Ind. 37 footprint through Martinsville, according to maps provided by INDOT.
Two of the alternatives, which were dubbed D and B, split from Ind. 37 north of Martinsville and go north of Brooklyn, but south and around the west side of Mooresville. They link up with Interstate 70 west of the Ind. 267 interchange.
Alternatives named K4 and K3 split from Ind. 37 north of Martinsville and take more easterly routes. They connect with Interstate 465 at Mann Road.
Tuesday’s meeting was crowded with residents who wanted to comment on the route, but were told a letter had already been sent and they would not be discussing the subject at this meeting.
Mathis said the discussion had already taken place at a public meeting Sept. 22 where the council agreed to support the Ind. 37 route. Mathis said he had sent a letter to the Indiana Department of Transportation saying so.
However, Mathis said if Ind. 37 does not make the cut when the reasonable routes are selected in a couple of months, he wants INDOT to know that the council wants to be involved in discussions on interchanges.
Mathis said INDOT will make the final decision concerning the route — not the Indiana governor, not the state representatives and senators nor the local governments.