South Central Indiana economic development group Radius Indiana says it is in support of the Midstate Corridor.
Of course the Midstate Corridor is a proposed interstate-level route connecting US Highway 231 in southern Dubois County to some point along Interstate 69 to the north.
The proposed highway known as well as the I-67 Corridor,would increase connectivity in the eight-county Radius region, create opportunities for economic development, and add valuable new infrastructure to the region’s list of economic assets.
Board Chairperson for Radius Indiana Becky Skillman says a new Midstate Corridor would provide a powerful economic engine for rural southwest central Indiana.
She says the corridor would result in the region attracting more businesses and allow existing companies to expand. She says it could expand the workforce due to easier commutes, and bring more tourists to our world-class attractions.
The regional initiative led by OFS Brands President and CEO Hank Menke has been working to set up the groundwork for the connection since 2012; Menke leads the I-67 Development Corporation. The group is now spearheading growth of a Regional Development Authority in order move the project up on the priority list with the Indiana Department of Transportation.
The State Legislature passed a bill this year that allows municipalities participating in a regional development authority to create a fund specifically for regional infrastructure projects – such as the Midstate Corridor. The legislation also permits RDAs to apply for federal FASTLANE grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation, which fund road and bridge projects.
Menke says they have taken another important step in the recent formation of the Midstate Corridor Regional Development Authority, which will allow local investment to partner with INDOT to drive the necessary planning and construction of this important four-lane limited access highway through Dubois and other area counties to eventually connect to I-69.
While no final route has been established, the corridor was named a Tier 2 project by the state’s Blue Ribbon Commission in 2014, a committee that determined which transportation projects needed to be done and when they should be completed. Tier 2 projects are targeted for completion in six to eight years.
Once INDOT green lights the project, they will determine the route’s final path through Dubois County.
Several routes have been proposed for the new connector through Dubois County but the selection will not occur until INDOT adds the corridor to its projects list and completes environmental studies for the route. As indicated in the maps below, the route could connect to I-69, U.S. 231 north of Jasper or State Road 37 near Bloomington.
Radius Indiana is a regional economic development partnership representing eight counties in Southern Indiana: Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington.
