ARTICLES

Porter County Park supporters speak out against the Illiana

The following was part of a story that was published on March 2, 2007 in the Chesterton Tribune (www.chestertontribune.com):

Illiana Expressway

The proposed Illiana expressway, planned to be a privatized toll road through Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties, came up at Thursday's park board meeting after Porter County Parks Superintendent Ed Melendez noted that the Illiana is not included in the park's master plan.

His comments prompted two strong responses.

Porter County Park Board member David Canright said he finds it "almost criminal" that a bill is now pending in the Indiana Legislature to authorize the new expressway, even though the the project has not yet gone through proper study, including environmental impact studies.

Later, audience member Herb Read weighed in on the issue, noting that the Illiana is not in the county's proposed new unified development ordinance, nor is it in the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission's most recent transportation plan. He also noted that the Porter County chapter of the Izaak Walton League, of which he is president, recently passed a resolution against the Illiana.

Read went on to say that said he finds it "absolutely outrageous" that the plan is being "push through fast" without any coordination with county planning, park or other officials. Even if there is a need for another highway, which Read said he disputes, he said the use of condemnation should never be used for a private company's gain, and that he doesn't believe the state's constitution intended such government action.

Before Read could continue, Park Board President Harold Erwin cut him off, saying that Read needs to take his concerns to a different body, not the park board.