Interstate 69

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Interstate 69
Main route of the Interstate Highway System
Length: 360 mi (579 km)
Formed: 1956 (1992)
South end: Temporary: I-465 in Indianapolis, IN
Future: U.S.-Mexico border in Texas
Major
junctions:		 I-55 in Hernando, MS
(SIU 10 Complete)
I-80/I-90 IN Toll Rd near Angola, IN
I-94 in Marshall, MI
I-96 in Lansing, MI
I-75 in Flint, MI
I-94 in Port Huron, MI
North end: ON 402 at Canadian border on Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, MI
Interstate 69 just outside Indianapolis near Fortville, Indiana
Interstate 69 just outside Indianapolis near Fortville, Indiana

Interstate 69 (abbreviated I-69) is an interstate highway in the Southern and Midwestern United States. It currently exists in two discontinuous sections: one from Indianapolis, Indiana, at Interstate 465 to the U.S. side of the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, Michigan, at the Canadian border, where it continues as Highway 402 in Ontario, and one section connecting U.S. 61 and Interstate 55 in northwestern Mississippi.

As of 2006, plans are underway to connect the two discontinuous sections and further extend I-69 to the southwest to meet the Mexican border.

Contents

[edit] Length

Miles km state
157 252 Indiana
203 327 Michigan
18 28 Mississippi
378 607 Total

[edit] Major cities

Bolded cities are officially-designated control cities for signs.

[edit] Intersections with other interstates

[edit] Spur routes

 Auxiliary routes of Interstate 69
Current and Future (F) Former
I-169 Mississippi (F) - Tennessee (F)
I-269 Mississippi/Tennessee (F)
I-469 Indiana

[edit] Notes

  • Temporary Interstate 69 or TEMP I-69 between Charlotte, Michigan, and Flint, Michigan, was an expressway with at-grade intersections that was originally designated as M-78. This segment of highway is now a fully controlled-access freeway designated as I-69.
  • In Flint, I-69 is also known as the Chevrolet-Buick Freeway, as a tribute to the Flint automotive industry.
  • The 12 mile (19 km) stretch of I-69 between Charlotte, Michigan, and I-96 was opened in October, 1992. It completed Michigan's original state-wide interstate highway system, although plans for a northern stetch of I-275 outside Detroit were abandoned because of local opposition.
  • The original southern termination point of I-69 was to have been at the I-65/I-70 interchange (known locally as the "spaghetti bowl") near 13th and College Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana. In fact, the grading and overpasses for this connection's ramps can still be seen at that location. Later, the State of Indiana changed its mind and sought to designate the freeway connecting the spaghetti bowl to the I-69/I-465 interchange (approximately 11 miles (18 km)) as Interstate 169. Due to a political fight over the inner-city portions of I-70 and I-65, it was decided to scrap I-169. In its place, the state widened I-70 from eight to 10 lanes and reworked its eastside interchange with I-465 to handle the additional traffic loads from the northeastern suburbs.

[edit] Extension to the south

Current event marker
 This article contains information about a planned or expected future road.
It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change dramatically as the road's construction and/or completion approaches and more information becomes available.

In 1998, Congress approved an extension of I-69 to the south and west from Indianapolis to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas. Should the construction be completed and the highway be numbered in whole as Interstate 69, it will become only the second Interstate to connect both the Mexican and Canadian borders (Interstate 5 being the first).

[edit] Proposed route

The proposed routing of the I-69 extension traverses seven states, and has been divided into 32 Sections of Independent Utility, numbered (mostly) from north to south.[2] The "mainline" route includes 26 SIUs, of which 24 represent new construction south of Indianapolis. As of December 2006, work on 3 SIUs is complete (SIUs 1 and 2 in Indiana and Michigan and SIU 10 in Mississippi) and each of these segments are open, at Interstate standards, and signed as I-69. Two additional segments (SIU 5 & 6) in Kentucky are substandard freeways, will be upgraded on the spot and officially receive the I-69 designation when funding becomes available. One segment in Tennessee and northern Mississippi (SIU 9) is partially complete, with final design and land acquisition underway on the remaining portions. Land acquistion is underway for two segments (SIU 7 in Tennessee and SIU 12 in Mississippi and Arkansas), while final design is progressing for one segment (SIU 13) in Arkansas. The remaining mainline segments are in the Draft EIS stage.

[edit] Michigan / Indiana

[edit] SIU 1

SIU 1 includes the existing I-69 from Port Huron, Michigan, to the I-465 interchange on the northeast side of Indianapolis. It was built in stages between 1956 and 1992, with the most recent segments opening in the vicinity of Lansing, Michigan in 1992. Work in SIU 1 includes mainline upgrades and operational improvements. Work to add a travel lane in each direction, including bridge and pavement reconstruction, and interchange reconfiguration has been ongoing since 2002 in the Fort Wayne, Indiana, vicinity. SIU 1 also includes spot improvements and pavement rehabilitation to the I-469 loop east for Fort Wayne and additional mainline and interchange improvements to I-69 northeast of Indianapolis.

[edit] SIU 2

This segment includes the existing I-465 loop around Indianapolis. It is most likely that I-69 will be routed using the eastern half of I-465 to the SR-37 interchange south of Indianapolis. This portion of I-465 was reconstructed in 2000.

On November 9, 2006, Governor Mitch Daniels announced plans for a 75 mile (121 km) outer loop around Indianapolis known as the Indiana Commerce Corridor. If constructed, the route would have been 100% privately funded, with a portion of the revenues possibly applied to constructing I-69 from Indianapolis to the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center. The remaining portion of the highway to Evansville is already funded with funds from the Major Moves initiative.[3][4] Strong opposition from local residents and the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives forced Governor Daniels to abandon the ICC plan on March 24, 2007, although House Democrats assured southwest Indiana residents that this decision would not affect construction on I-69 between Indianapolis and the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center.[5][6]

[edit] SIU 3
Main article: Southern Indiana Toll Road

From Indianapolis, Interstate 69 is planned to follow the route of State Road 37 south via Martinsville to Bloomington, Indiana, where a new terrain routing to the southwest will serve the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, Washington, and Oakland City, Indiana. The route will then intersect Interstate 64 (where SIU 3 ends) and encompass existing Interstate 164 through the Evansville, Indiana, area, crossing the Ohio River a few miles upstream of the existing U.S. Route 41 bridges. (SIU 4)

The Indiana Department of Transportation has been highly methodical in its analysis and mitigation of the potential environmental impacts associated with the planned I-69 extension through southwest Indiana. As such INDOT has taken a two-tier approach to completing the environmental documentation required for construction to proceed. In 2003 INDOT presented the Tier 1 EIS to the Federal Highway Administration, which identified Alternative 3C (routing over new terrain, incluing SR 37 between Indianapolis and Bloomington) as the least environmentally damaging practical alternative. Subsequently in March 2003 the FHWA issued a Record of Decision approving the Tier 1 EIS for SIU 3. During Tier 2 studies, INDOT further divided SIU 3 into six smaller segments, allowing work on each subsegment to proceed at its own pace. On December 21, 2006, INDOT announced completion of the Tier 2 draft EIS[7] for the 13 mile (21 km) section between I-64 and State Road 64 near Oakland City. Officials further noted that they will accelerate the final EIS and construction on the southernmost 2 mile (3 km) section from I-64 to State Road 68 to facilitate access to the Toyota's Princeton plant.[8] It is possible that this segment may initially be signed as an extension of I-164 until the remainder of SIU 3 is complete.

To fund construction of this extension, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels introduced a proposal known as "Major Moves" in early 2006. It provided $700 million from the Indiana Toll Road lease to be used to complete nearly 20 years of environmental studies and construct about half of the proposed extension (between the I-64/164 interchange and the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center). It also allowed for the construction of 117 miles (188 km) of the 142 mile (229 km) I-69 extension to Evansville to be constructed as the Southern Indiana Toll Road. Due to ongoing controversy over making this portion of the extension a toll-road, the governor announced in November 2006 that the entire stretch of the highway would be toll-free, subject to construction of the Indiana Commerce Connector (SIU 2).[9] Officials with the INDOT have since stated that I-69 will be toll-free regardless of whether or not the Indiana Commerce Connector is constructed.[10] Additionally, the U.S. Congress allocated an additional $14 million in the 2005 SAFETEA-LU authorization to construct I-69 Evansville to Indianapolis.[11][12] When SIU 3 and the Indiana portion of SIU 4 are completed, I-69 will be approximately 335 miles (539 km) in Indiana.

[edit] SIU 27

SIU 27 is a spur route off the I-69 mainline that encompasses I-94 from Port Huron, Michigan to Chicago via Detroit, Benton Harbor, Michigan, and Gary, Indiana. While this SIU was completed as I-94 during the late 1950s and 1960s, it serves as a critical transportation corridor between Chicago and eastern Canada. Work in association with the I-69 project includes a complete reconstruction of nearly the entire I-94 corridor. As of December 2006, reconstruction of the Borman Expressway between the Indiana East-West Toll Road and the Illinois state line is nearing completion. Work is underway on reconstructing the segment of I-94 in Illinois from the Indiana state line to the I-80/I-294 split south of Chicago. Meanwhile rebuilding of the Dan Ryan Expressway through Downtown Chicago is ongoing.

[edit] Kentucky

[edit] SIU 4

Interstate 69 is planned to follow the existing Interstate 164 south from Interstate 64 to the Ohio River near Green River Road. I-69 will then continue south (instead of turning west with I-164), crossing the Ohio on a new bridge between Evansville and Henderson. I-69 will continue south from the Ohio River to the Audubon Parkway, then turn southwest to join the Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway in the vicinity of Interchange 63 south of Henderson. The Final EIS is currently being prepared for this segment of I-69, but this portion of the route has not yet been funded. The remaining section of I-164 into downtown Evansville that does not become I-69 will likely be re-designated a 3-digit spur of I-69, if the AASHTO decides to remove the I-164 designation off the portion that becomes part of I-69. Otherwise I-69 and I-164 would be co-signed from I-64 to where the two routes split. Construction of the new Ohio River crossing and new roadway on the Kentucky side is expected to cost approximately $800 million. Kentucky is considering funding construction of the bridge through tolls.

[edit] SIUs 5 & 6

On May 15, 2006, Gov. Ernie Fletcher announced that I-69 will encompass 130 miles (209 km) of existing parkways and a 17 mile (27 km) segment of Interstate 24.[13] To reflect this decision by state and federal officials, crews began erecting Future Interstate 69 signs along the following highway segments:

  • Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway (entire length, 52 miles (84 km))
  • Interstate 24 (between Interchanges 25 and 42, 17 miles (27 km))
  • Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway (between I-24 and Breathitt Parkway, 38 miles (61 km))
  • Edward T. Breathitt Parkway (between Wendell H. Ford W. Ky Pkwy and Interchange 63, 25 miles (40 km))

After upgrades to substandard segments, resetting of mileposts, and renumbering of exits are completed, the "Future I-69" signs will be replaced with I-69 signs. Individual parkway segments may be signed as I-69 as soon as they are brought up to Interstate Highway standards, as is being done on New York Route 17 in its upgrading to Interstate 86.

According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet 2006 Six-Year Transportation Plan Executive Summary, the KYTC "has recently completed a study of the parkway upgrade needs from Interstate 24 to Henderson" (SIU 5). The summary further stated that "Continuing work on Interstate 69 in Kentucky will depend upon the financial support that can be garnered for the project through federal reauthorization and appropriations processes." Upgrades to the parkways are expected to cost roughly $700 million.

Nonetheless, the required improvements may be performed on individual segments of the parkways when the existing road surfaces reach the end of their life-spans, in what are known as "Pavement Preservation Projects." During a pavement preservation project, the existing pavement is removed, repairs are made to the highway's sub-base, and the road is then resurfaced. During such a project bridges and overpasses may be rehabilitated or replaced, drainage systems are upgraded, and other modifications are made to improve safety on the road without completely reconstructing it, allowing it to remain at least partially open during construction.

Two projects on the Edward T. Breathitt Parkway and the Western Kentucky Parkway in Hopkins County are evidence that Kentucky is taking this approach. In 2007, work is expected to begin on a $14.9 million project to replace 7 miles (11 km) of pavement on the Breathitt Parkway segment slated for the I-69 designation. A similar $23 million project in 2005 replaced and upgraded 11 miles (18 km) of pavement on the Western Kentucky Parkway west of the interchange with the Breathitt Parkway, which is also slated to become part of I-69 and I-66 as well. In addition to pavement upgrades, however, some interchanges will have to be reconfigured to meet Interstate standards, including the cloverleaf interchange between the Breathitt and Western Kentucky Parkways, and the massive South Fulton Interchange where the Purchase Parkway ties into the US-51 Expressway.

Kentucky is the only state that will be routing almost its entire portion of I-69 over existing freeways, allowing the state to avoid years of costly environmental studies, thereby enabling the KYTC to upgrade the Parkways to I-69 as soon as funding becomes available.

[edit] Proposed spurs

Officials in Owensboro have petitioned the AASHTO for the I-369 designation to be applied to the Audubon Parkway between I-69 and Owensboro. An interstate designation may also be sought for the portion of the Pennyrile Parkway between Madisonville and Fort Campbell.[citation needed]

[edit] Reinstate tolls?

The Pennyrile Parkway, Western Kentucky Parkway, and Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway were all originally built as toll roads when they opened in the 1960s. These tolls were removed at various times during the 1990s as the parkways' construction bonds were paid off. To fund over $700 million to upgrade substandard segments of the parkways and fund a new $800 million Ohio River crossing for I-69, Kentucky transportation officials are considering reinstating tolls on the parkway segments over which I-69 is routed.

[edit] Tennessee

From Fulton, I-69 is planned to continue to the southwest, replacing and bypassing existing U.S. Route 51, serving Union City (and potentially intersecting proposed I-169), Dyersburg (where it will intersect Interstate 155), Ripley, Covington, and Millington. Tennessee is considering legislation that would allow I-69 to be built as a toll road.[14]

[edit] SIU 7

This segment begins at the Kentucky/Tennessee border in Fulton, and closely follows US Highway 51 to Dyersburg. The 20 mile (32 km) section between Dyersburg and Troy is at interstate standards—opening with the completion of Interstate 155 west of Dyersburg. An additional 10 mile (16 km) section north of Union City is also an expressway. Thus, much of the work on SIU 7 will involve bypassing the 15 mile (24 km) section of US-51 between Troy and Union City, where it is currently a 4-lane surface arterial with at-grade intersections. This portion has been divided into five smaller segments. As of December 2006, land acquisition and utility relocations are underway in all five sub-sections.

[edit] SIU 8

SIU 8 proceeds south from Dyersburg, paralleling US Highway 51 to a planned interchange with TN-385 (I-269) in Millington. To facilitate work on the Draft EIS this segment, the Tennessee Department of Transportation has divided SIU 8 into three smaller segments. In April 2006 TDOT has announced the preferred routing for the northern and southern subsections, favoring an alignment to the west of Highway 51. Meanwhile, studies are still ongoing for the central section, which include alignments both east and west of the existing US Highway 51. Once TDOT identifies the preferred alignment for the central segment, it is expected that a supplemental draft EIS will be necessary before the final EIS can be prepared, likely delaying approval until at least 2008.

[edit] SIU 9

South of Millington, I-69 will intersect the Interstate 269 Memphis Outer Beltway, then continue southwest, roughly parallel to U.S. 51, and connect with Interstate 40 at the existing State Route 300 interchange in the Frayser neighborhood. Interstate 69 will then merge with I-40 for about 3 miles (5 km) to the I-40/I-240 Midtown Interchange, where I-69 will continue south along the Midtown portion of I-240 (mileposts 25-31) to the I-240/I-55 interchange in Whitehaven. From that interchange, I-69 will continue south, merged with I-55 for approximately 12 miles (19 km), crossing the Mississippi state line. The Mississippi Department of Transportation has been working on widening I-55 between Hernando and the Tennessee State Line, adding travel lanes in each direction, reconstructing bridges, and improving traffic flow at interchanges. With much of the route already built and at Interstate standards through Memphis, I-69 signs may appear soon on I-240 and I-55, although TDOT may wait until SIUs 7 and 8 are completed before erecting I-69 signs in Memphis.

In addition to the I-69 routing through downtown Memphis, SIU 9 also includes construction of the Interstate 269 Memphis Outer Loop. In the EIS, the combination of the I-69 downtown routing combined with the I-269 loop is referred to as the "Systems Option" for SIU-9. As of September 2006, a 21 mile (34 km) segment of I-269 from Millington to Eads is open to traffic (signed as State Route 385). A second segment between Collierville and US Highway 72 is under construction. Construction on the 28.6 mile (46 km) portion of I-269 between US-72 in Collierville and I-55/I-69/MS-304 in Hernando is expected to begin around 2010 and cost $450 million.[15]

The FHWA issued a Record of Decision on January 29, 2007, approving the Final EIS for the "Systems Option" and authorizing Tennessee and Mississippi to begin land acquisition and construction on the remaining portions of I-69 and I-269 through Memphis. Immediately following this decision, Mississippi solicited bids from engineers to complete the final design on its section of I-269. Four engineering firms began preliminary field work and final design on their portion of I-269 on March 22, 2007. [16] MDOT has advanced the final design timetable and plans to begin ROW acquisition between I-55/I-69 and US-78 by the end of 2007. Construction on I-269 in Mississippi will commence once all necessary land has been acquired.[17]

[edit] Mississippi

Mississippi has a unique funding mechanism that is enabling the state to move much faster than its neighbors to getting I-69 built without the use of tolls. The Highway Enhancements Through Local Partnerships (HELP) program enables individual counties to take out bonds and lend the money to the state in order to expedite major public works projects. The state then reimburses the counties over time as federal funds are received.

[edit] SIU 10

In Hernando, Mississippi, I-69 again meets up with the future I-269 (and possibly Interstate 22 in the future) and turns west for approximately 16 miles (26 km) to the area around the Tunica County casinos. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at 2:00 p.m. CST on October 3, 2006, at which point the road was opened to traffic. This segment's opening also coincided with Mississippi's Statewide Transportation Conference, held in Tunica.[18] The state's HELP program enabled this segment to be completed three years ahead of schedule.

This portion of I-69 mostly coincides with the relocated route of MS 304; both routes are co-signed between I-55 and the MS 713 spur, where the two routes split: MS 304 continues due west to U.S. 61, while I-69 (co-signed with MS 713) turns south to connect to the old routing of MS 304 near Banks, Mississippi. The MS 713 portion of the route opened to traffic December 18, 2006.[19]

I-55 and I-69 meet at an incomplete cloverleaf interchange near Hernando; freeway stubs extending east of this interchange are intended for I-269 and Interstate 22 when MS-304 is extended to the east of I-55 starting in 2010. To accommodate the volume of traffic anticipated to pass through this interchange and meet current Federal Highway Administration standards for cloverleaf interchanges, collector/distributor roads were added to the I-55 mainline in the in vicinity of the interchange.

As of December 18, 2006, all work on SIU 10 is complete and the entire segment is open to traffic. Because Interstate 69 is still incomplete through the remainder of Mississippi (SIUs 9, 11, and 12), exits are unnumbered on the Hernando-Tunica segment.

[edit] SIU 11

Continuing south from its present (temporary) terminus at Mississippi Route 3 near Banks, I-69 will bypass the Town of Tunica to the east (serving Tunica Municipal Airport), then veer to the west and merge with U.S. 61 route to Clarksdale, also merging with U.S. Route 49 near Rich. In 2006 MDOT decided to incorporate the recently-completed Clarksdale Bypass into the future I-69 alignment through the Clarksdale vicinity, since the bypass is already at Interstate standards.

In Clarksdale, I-69 will merge with U.S. Route 278 and continue south, serving Shelby, following the existing U.S. 61 route. I-69 and U.S. 278 will diverge from U.S. 61 near Merigold, bypassing Cleveland to the west, and continue south to near Shaw. MDOT is currently preparing the final EIS for this segment.

[edit] SIU 12

From Shaw, I-69 and U.S. 278 will proceed west to Benoit, where it will intersect Mississippi Highway 1 (and possibly the proposed Greenville Connector Route), then cross the Charles W. Dean Bridge (sometimes referred to as the Great River Bridge) over the Mississippi River into Arkansas. Environmental studies for this segment, including the Charles W. Dean Bridge have been completed and the FHWA issued a Record of Decision approving the route through SIU 12 in 2004. On October 15, 2006, the FHWA directed the Arkansas Department of Transportation to begin land acquisition for I-69 from US 65 to the west bank of the Mississippi River where the Charles W. Dean Bridge will be built. Groundbreaking on this segment is expected once all of the land necessary for the route has been acquired.[20]

[edit] Arkansas

[edit] SIU 13

In Arkansas, I-69 and U.S. 278 will continue west to McGehee, where U.S. 278 will leave I-69 and rejoin its existing routing. I-69 will continue on a separate alignment to Monticello, where it will meet the Interstate 530 extension, then bypass Wilmar and Warren to the south, and turn to the southwest, crossing the Ouachita River and running between El Dorado and Smackover to meet U.S. Route 82 west of El Dorado.

The Final Environmental Impact Statement on SIU 13 was completed in April 2006, and the Federal Highway Administration issued a Record of Decision approving the FEIS on May 25, 2006. This 103 mile (166 km) segment is currently in the final design phase, with construction expected to cost $784 million. Groundbreaking on this section has not yet been determined due to a lack of funds for construction.[21] Arkansas is considering financing I-69 construction through tolls.

[edit] SIU 14

From U.S. 82, I-69 will continue to the southwest, crossing the Louisiana state line near Haynesville, Louisiana. Arkansas and Louisiana officials continue to work on the draft EIS for this portion of the route, with some changes being made with public inputs.

[edit] SIU 28

Segment 28 will extend Interstate 530 from its current terminus in Pine Bluff to a planned interchange with I-69 south of Monticello. This segment has been divided into several smaller sections, with work proceeding at various rates on each. In June 2006 a 4 mile (6.4 km) section of the I-530 extension opened to traffic between Highway 35 and US 278 near Wilmar. The remaining portions of SIU 28 are in various stages of land acquisition and construction.[22] Objections from the community of Pinebergen has forced planners to re-consider the routing of the northernmost segment of the I-530 extension, delaying its construction.[23]

[edit] Louisiana

In Louisiana, I-69 will pass between Shongaloo and Haynesville, then turn southwest, intersecting Interstate 20 near Haughton and then go south of Shreveport. I-69 will then turn more westerly, intersect Interstate 49 near Stonewall, go north of Mansfield and head for the Texas state line.

[edit] Texas

In Texas, I-69 will intersect with the U.S. Route 59 corridor near Carthage and roughly follow US 59 to the south, serving Nacogdoches, Lufkin, Livingston, Shepherd, and Cleveland. In Lufkin, Interstate 69 will intersect with U.S. Route 69, presenting some interesting directional signage challenges.

In the Houston area, a number of possible routings of mainline Interstate 69 are possible. The designation could follow US 59, Interstate 610, Beltway 8 and the Sam Houston Tollway, State Highway 99 (Grand Parkway), or a new route. In the Houston area, I-69 will intersect Interstate 10 and Interstate 45. (See Houston Highway Construction for details)

From Houston, I-69 is again expected to follow the US 59 corridor southwest to Victoria, Texas. From there, the congressionally-designated corridor splits into three alternatives:

The routing of I-69 in Texas is being studied as part of the Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC) concept as the "I-69/TTC" component. Portions of the route may coincide with the "TTC-35" corridor component as well.

In any case, Texas is proceeding in the same fashion as Indiana, conducting environmental studies for its portion of I-69 in a two-tier process and seeking a public-private partnership to construct much of the route through Texas as a privately-operated toll road. The mainline route through Texas will be approximately 500 miles (800 km).

[edit] Auxiliary routes

In addition to the I-169 and I-269 spurs and loops, a number of other projects are designated as SIUs of the Interstate 69 corridor:[24]

[edit] Opposition and controversy

Opponents of neoliberalism believe that I-69, by expediting free trade between Canada, the U.S., Mexico, and Latin America, will further contribute to the exploitation of workers in the global south. They see struggle against I-69 as a new front in the anti-globalization movement.[citation needed]

The construction of I-69 has also angered environmentalists. The controversial highway would eliminate large areas of forest, run through wetlands, existing farmland, and cut through geologically sensitive "karst" terrain, which environmentalists argue threatens to pollute underground water systems and harm the rare species that live there.[25]

More specifically, the extension of Interstate 69 has seen organized opposition in a number of states along the route, most notably Indiana, Tennessee, and Texas.

[edit] Indiana

Particularly controversial has been the routing in Indiana. The planned extension to Evansville has pitted cities, towns, and counties against one another. The greatest support for I-69 is in Indiana's far southwestern counties and Evansville, while the greatest opposition is between Bloomington and Indianapolis. Bloomington and Martinsville both oppose upgrading State Road 37 to Interstate 69. To the west, communities along US-41 favor the presently selected alignment in lieu of the only other feasible routing: I-70 to Terre Haute, then US-41 south to Evansville. Regardless of the I-69 routing, an Interstate-quality bypass is slated to be built east of Terre Haute, which supports the I-70/US-41 routing over the selected routing of I-69 for economic reasons.

In Indiana alone, the construction of I-69 will lead to the ravaging of 1,500 acres of forest and more than 300 acres of wetlands. Some of the destroyed land lies within the Hoosier National Forest and the Patoka National Wildlife Refuge, a habitat vital to multiple endangered species, including the Indiana bat, which stands to lose three of its most important caves to the highway.[26]

The state department of transportation, current and past governors, and businesses and elected officials in Evansville, have favored a direct route via Bloomington that would be built over new terrain. Supporters argued that this direct route reduces the travel time to Indianapolis as well as improves access to Bloomington for residents of southwestern Indiana, something a route via Terre Haute would not achieve. State DOT officials have also pointed out that Indiana 37 will eventually be upgraded from a 4-lane arterial route to a freeway, with or without Interstate 69. After extensive review of the alternative routes as well as detailed environmental studies, the state selected the new terrain route via Bloomington. Environmental groups and local elected officials filed suit in federal court October 2, 2006 to block further study and construction of the route, alleging that the process was rigged to favor the routing via Bloomington.[27]

Another area of controversy arose in late 2005 when governor Mitch Daniels proposed levying tolls on the highway to finance its construction, either as a state project or a public-private partnership, in order to accelerate the project. As the route would overlay the existing Indiana 37 between Bloomington and Indianapolis, and there currently is no other free alternative route between Bloomington and Martinsville, this proposal has raised concerns among local residents and businesses.

In March 2006, Governor Mitch Daniels signed a bill known as "Major Moves" that leased the Indiana East-West Toll Road, but also included a compromise on constructing I-69 in southwest Indiana. As part of the deal, the legislation permitted Governor Daniels to enter a similar public-private partnership for construction of 117 miles (188 km) of I-69 as the Southern Indiana Toll Road from Martinsville to the I-64/I-164 interchange, while the remaining 25 miles (40 km) from Martinsville to the I-465/Indiana 37 interchange in Indianapolis would remain toll-free. On June 20, 2006 the Indiana Supreme Court rejected a legal challenge brought on by I-69 opponents, upholding Major Moves legislation in a 4-0 decision.

[edit] Tennessee

The routing of I-69 between Millington and Dyersburg, Tennessee, has been criticized by the state Sierra Club chapter for not making use of the existing right-of-way for U.S. 51 and for potentially impacting the Hatchie River, a state-designated scenic river.

[edit] Texas

The project has been opposed in Texas by both environmentalists and property-rights activists, albeit for somewhat different reasons. See the article on the Trans-Texas Corridor for more details.

Some opponents see I-69 and the Trans-Texas Corridor as a U.S. component of Plan Puebla Panama, an economic development plan proposed by Mexican President Vicente Fox and related to NAFTA and CAFTA. While this plan has seen little public discussion in the United States, it may color views of the project in Mexico and other countries.

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.ajfroggie.com/roads/i169.htm
  2. ^ http://www.nationali69.com/servlet/com.hntb.i69.WebCtrl?cmd=websiusget
  3. ^ "The I-69 Freeway", Evansville Courier & Press, November 10, 2006. Retrieved on November 25, 2006.
  4. ^ "Gov Wants Toll Road Loop Around Indy", Indianapolis Star, November 10, 2006. Retrieved on November 10, 2006.
  5. ^ Daniels abandons Indy-area toll road, Indianapolis Star, March 25, 2007
  6. ^ Commerce Connector Scrapped, Evansville Courier Press, March 25, 2007
  7. ^ Tier 2 Draft EIS for SIU 3, Segment 1
  8. ^ Officials finish draft study of I-69 leg, Indianapolis Star, December 21, 2006
  9. ^ "The I-69 Freeway", Evansville Courier & Press, November 10, 2006. Retrieved on November 25, 2006.
  10. ^ "No Tolls", Evansville Courier & Press, January 17, 2007. Retrieved on January 17, 2007.
  11. ^ I-69 Newsline, http://www.i69info.com
  12. ^ SAFETEA-LU
  13. ^ Governor Fletcher Unveils I-69 Corridor Designation. Commonwealth of Kentucky. Retrieved on January 17, 2007.
  14. ^ Toll roads for a change? Memphis Commercial Appeal, March 5, 2007
  15. ^ I-269 Plan Nears Move to Fast Lane Memphis Commercial Appeal December 6, 2006
  16. ^ Preliminary Field Survey Scheduled to Begin on I-269 Route Mississippi Department of Transportation, March 22m 2007
  17. ^ First I-269 contracts coming up Memphis Commercial Appeal, February 13, 2007
  18. ^ http://www.wmcstations.com/Global/story.asp?S=5492935
  19. ^ http://www.gomdot.com/newsApp/newsDetail.aspx?referrer=home&id=1214200642659
  20. ^ Arkansas given OK to Acquire Rights for Future I-69, KATV Channel 7, October 15, 2006
  21. ^ I-69 Route In South Arkansas Approved. KTHV TV, Little Rock, May 25, 2006
  22. ^ New Arkansas Highway To Be Dedicated. KTHV TV - Little Rock, June 5, 2006
  23. ^ Interstate 530 Plans In Neutral. KTHV TV - Little Rock, February 20, 2006
  24. ^ http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep10/nhs/hipricorridors/hpcor.html#l18
  25. ^ http://www.elpc.org/transportation/interstate69/index.php
  26. ^ http://www.earthfirstjournal.org/article.php?id=222
  27. ^ "Groups sue to halt I-69 project", Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, October 3, 2006. Retrieved on November 25, 2006.

[edit] External links


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Main Interstate Highways (multiples of 5 in pink)		 Interstate Highway marker
4 5 8 10 12 15 16 17 19 20 22 24 25 26 27 29 30
35 37 39 40 43 44 45 49 55 57 59 64 65 66 66 (W) 68
69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 (W) 76 (E) 77 78 79 80 81 82
83 84 (W) 84 (E) 85 86 (W) 86 (E) 87 88 (W) 88 (E) 89 90
91 93 94 95 96 97 99 (238) H-1 H-2 H-3
Unsigned  A-1 A-2 A-3 A-4 PRI-1 PRI-2 PRI-3
Lists  Main - Auxiliary - Suffixed - Business - Proposed - Unsigned
Gaps - Intrastate - Interstate standards - Replaced
Browse numbered routes
< M-68 MI M-69 >
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