Demand Illiana Highway Be Built

The Indianapolis Star, in an article titled Stimulus money may spur Illiana highway, is reporting today that the Obama plans for infrasture investment have revived hopes that the Illiana highway will be built. This highway

would loop from Chicago's southern suburbs through southern Lake County to link with I-65

A feasability study is due to be released next year.

There are concerns that the State of Indiana will not participate in this infrastructure project, killing it, because the Governor wants the state's share of the funding to be provided by private funding. According to state Rep. Ed Soliday (R-Valparaiso):

"The Daniels administration likes an Illiana Expressway, but they want it privately funded, and money isn't exactly flowing at the moment," he said.

This is likely to be an issue with other infrastructure initiatives as well. The working people of Indiana deserve to see these large infrastructure projects implemented, and the jobs they represent created. The state should ensure this and similar projects happen and should not use the pretext of not having state matching funds to undermine President-elect Obama's fiscal stimulus package.