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Mitch's Myths - the road to hell is paved with PR Indy Bypass Toll Road - the latest proposal without a need Illiana Toll Road - will northern Indiana have any free roads left? New Terrain I-69 - throwing a billion dollars out the window Indiana Toll Road - raw deal with lessons for other tollroad proposals
LINKS
No Illiana Expressway
TURF
Save Our Turnpikes
YouTube
PBS: Texas Tollroads
- part 1
Specific Information
SB 1
both toll roads
"The Highwaymen" -- by Daniel Schulman & James Ridgeway for Mother Jones -- An expose' about the sale of the IN Toll Road by Mitch Daniels -- this is a MUST READ !!
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Effects of Interstates on Cities and Towns Local Ebbs and Flows People choose to live in a particular neighborhood of a particular city or town based on a number of factors, which include the travel time to schools, churches, jobs, and recreational activities. Cities locate schools and fire stations so as to maximize the number of people served and minimize the expenses passed on to the taxpayers. As a city grows, the ebbs and flows of life tend to change in perceptible, but usually not overly alarming, ways. A new housing development sprouts up to take advantage of a nearby school and grocery store. The increasing localized population attracts a movie theater, home improvement store and restaurants. When a new interstate comes in, it causes catastrophic, abrupt, and alarming changes in the ebb and flow of a community. Through the use of limited access points, the interstate is designed specifically to accommodate high speed, through traffic and discourage short hops with speed and direction regulation. This limited access design also turns the interstate into a wall that blocks off the old local roads, changing the route one needs to follow to get from point A to point B. This increases the length of time it takes to travel from home to school, work, church, recreation and shopping. While it may have been half a mile from home to the grocery store, the location of an interstate could increase your two minute drive to 15 minutes. Local Effects on City's Ebbs and Flows If the New Terrain I-69, the Indy ByPass Toll Road, or the Illiana Toll Road are actually built, some neighborhoods that once had easy access to amenities would be cut off -- abruptly changing from a desirable neighborhood location to an undesirable neighborhood location. This leads to decreased property values. Unfortunately, it also leads to depressed areas. Fountain Square, a once vital neighborhood in Indianapolis, is just now being revived after I-70 and I-65 were built in the late 1960's, early 1970's and severely depressed the quality of life and property values there. A school that once served the surrounding area effectively can become ineffective virtually overnight by the location of an interstate. Increases in the amount of time children must spend on the school bus certainly decrease the quality of life of the child. School yards that served as accessible playgrounds for local children can be cut off for those unlucky enough to find themselves suddenly walled off by the new interstate. Walking or riding a bike to school may no longer be an option. Shopping amenities would find that the market area they serve has shifted. If that shift is too dramatic, the amenity might relocate and close the existing store, furthering a negative impact on the localized neighbors and their property values. Local Effects on Services and Local Taxes When it comes to fire and ambulance service, seconds can be the difference between life or death. The average run time is routinely monitored as an indicator of its effectiveness. A new interstate can necessitate a local government to build a new station nearby, just to maintain a minimum level of service. This leads to increased taxes paid only by the local residents and not by INDOT or its private partner. With the elimination of through roads, the traffic on the roads that can cross the interstate become more congested. This leads to the need for local street improvements to accommodate the new flow; again leading to tax increases for the locals alone. Like it or not, interstates bring crime requiring an increase in local police services. Professional criminals from out of town like the easy in and out that interstate ramps and high speed limits provide for their activities. Crime rates in counties with interstate highways are higher than counties without. And crime rates in counties with toll road interstates are slightly higher than those with freeways. Once again we can look to local tax increases for the increase services required because of the location of an interstate. Local Effects of Eminent Domain To build the New Terrain I-69, the Indy ByPass Toll Road, or the Illiana Toll Road will require access of property by INDOT through the eminent domain process. In 2006, the State Legislature tightened the rules whereby all governmental units may use eminent domain to acquire property for the benefit of a private company -- with the one exception that INDOT may continue to do so. This means taking farmland and other businesses as well as homes for the construction of any new interstate. No estimate for the right-of-way needs would accompany any Indy ByPass Toll Road or Illiana Toll Road has been generated. Local Effects of Noise As an example, lets look at Martinsville where INDOT wants New Terrain I-69 to intersect the Indy ByPass Toll Road. In their study for New Terrain I-69, they only describe the unacceptable noise impact on homes in Martinsville with the words "high-density neighborhoods along SR 37...". In combination with homes in Perry Township, Marion County, they estimate 494 homes will be affected. They specifically note that Martinsville High School will be the only high school along the entire route to be unacceptably, affected by noise. Also specifically cited were unacceptable negative noise impacts on the Southfield Apartments, Pine Apartments and Williamsburg Colony Apartments. Churches expected to be affected are the New Testament Baptist Church, Martinsville Baptist Tabernacle, First Church of the Nazarene, and Faith Church. Other named businesses to be unacceptably affected by noise are the Hill View Motel and Super 8 Motel as well as the Martinsville Country Club and the Whispering Meadows Riding Stables. No estimates of noise impacts from the proposed Indy ByPass Toll Road or the Illiana Toll Road have been generated. Looking Forward Sign up to get news from alltolled.com : click here to send your email address to us (when the email program pops up, just hit the 'send' button) We will keep you informed by email when important meetings or hearings are to be held. From time to time we will also send you a brief note on the progress of legislation or INDOT activities that affect the proposed New Terrain I-69, the Indy ByPass Toll Road, or the Illiana Toll Road. Plan to contact
your local elected officials by letter, phone, email, or by attending
their meetings. We have compiled the contact information for the
local elected officials on separate pages for you. Madison County
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Do Something Now - help stop the madness with just minutes a month Calendar - important hearings and meetings Effects of Interstates - burdens imposed on Cities & Towns Video - Outtakes of various meeting
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