Mid-States Project Spokesperson Speaks on ‘Alternative P’ Selection, Everything We Know So Far

By Kris Norton

Dubois Co. – The Mid-States Corridor Project Team published their Draft Environmental Impact Statement on Friday after the Lochmueller Group announced their preferred route for the Corridor earlier this week.

In the latest round of considerations, five alternative routes were on the table, named: B, C, M, O, and P. That list was further whittled down to M, O, and P.

With the Mid-States Corridor Project, the state aims to better connect I -64 to I-69.

Mid-States Corridor Project Spokesperson Mindy Peterson says that the decision came down to which alternative would have the least environmental impact.

“When you look at the alternatives that address the purpose and need of the project, those that adequately address the purpose in need were alternatives P, M, and O,” Peterson said. “Out of those three, Alternative P has the lowest environmental impact, and also the lowest cost.”

On environmental impact to the area, Peterson gave specifics.

“When you look at some of the key resources on the environmental side, you’re looking at relatively low impact in comparison,” Peterson said. “That’s the smallest impact to wetlands, no impacts to karst features that would include your caves, springs.”

 The proposed Alternative P would extend 54 miles from I-64/U.S. 231 to I-69 at the existing U.S. 231 interchange. The alternative would travel east of Huntingburg and Jasper, which the team says would avoid ‘developed areas in those cities’. The 2,000-foot wide path under consideration generally runs parallel to and west of U.S. 231 in Martin and Daviess counties. It does include a western bypass of Loogootee before it avoids West Boggs Lake to the east and ends at the existing I-69 interchange at U.S. 231.

According to Peterson, the current plan under the Tier One Study would see local improvements to U.S. 231.

“Local improvements are a part of what the project team is looking at,” Peterson said. “With the alternative P, there are a total of nine local improvements along the existing 231, those are included with the alternative.”

Though the Lochmueller Group named its preferred alternative earlier this week, the Tier One Study is still a long way out from completion. The finalized study is not expected until early 2023.

At this point in time, Peterson says, no one has all of the answers.

“[The] next phase after you complete Tier One will be Tier Two, and right of way will be determined at that time,” Peterson said. “So, we can take a look at the area and look at potential impacts, but, we don’t have all of the answers today.”

It’s also unclear how the process of securing land will transpire. At the forefront, plots of land currently owned by private families, of which some plots have been owned by the same families for over a century have drawn fierce opposition by landowners and communities at large. 

Peterson says that the 2,000-foot highlighted corridor is a ‘high-level plan’, and where the potential corridor may fall will be narrowed down, in part, based on public opinion.

“The project team will be taking into consideration all comments that are received, this is a very important part of the process,” Peterson said. “We have a formal comment period that accompanies the DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement) and that is going to run until the end of May.”

In addition, the group will hold two public hearings in the areas affected by the proposed Mid-States Corridor. The first public hearing will be held Tuesday, April 26th at WestGate Academy, Crane, in Odon. The second public hearing will be held Thursday, April 28th at the Jasper Arts Center in Jasper.

According to the press release from the Mid-States team, both hearing will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and will include a presentation at 6:00 p.m. A public comment period will follow the presentation. Comments will be limited to two minutes per person and speakers will need to sign up on the night of the hearing prior to the comment period.

In addition, through May 31st, comments may be made in person at the public hearings, through a comment at the Project Office on the Vincennes University - Jasper Campus, by mail, through the project website, or through e-mail at [email protected].

Once again, after the completion of the Tier One Study expected late this year on early in 2023, there will be another public feedback period. Public input periods are estimated to last for approximately six months.

The Tier Two Study would be set to begin in mid- to late-2023. Peterson says that during the second tier, the picture should become clearer. One aspect that should come into focus in Tier Two: the type of road deemed necessary.

Peterson says they’re not ruling anything out in terms of road construction – except for a freeway.

“A number of possibilities there, Super 2, possibilities are there for an expressway as well,” Peterson said. “The freeway options were removed from consideration so those are no longer on the table.”

Though many aspects of the proposed Mid-States Corridor are up in the air, one thing is for sure: this is going to be a years-long process, and a years-long fight.

Peterson, hesitant to put a date on specific future steps with so many variables, believes that it will be years before the citizens of Dubois, Spencer, Martin, and Daviess counties will have a final answer.

Looking towards the future, the Tier Two study which is expected to begin sometime in mid- to –late-2023 will also take a significant time to complete. Even upon the completion of the study, and depending upon public feedback, the state would still need to secure funding and award contracts.

Only after all those steps are followed and completed would ground then be broken.

Project updates can be found online at www.midstatescorridor.com.

The project office is located on the Vincennes University Jasper Campus, Administration Building, Room 216, 850 College Avenue, Jasper, IN.