Letter: We can stop the Mid-States Corridor

Does anyone remember the I-67 project? It was Hank Menke’s proposal for an interstate highway from US-231 south of Huntingburg to I-69 at Washington. It was a 38 mile new terrain highway. He floated his idea back in December of 2011. What was Mr. Menke’s reason for this new highway? In his words, it was for improved movement of freight. What does Mr. Menke’s company, OFS,  do? They move freight.

The I-67 Coalition has evolved into the Mid-State Corridor RDA. I have referred to a cabal of businessmen who have and are still pushing this new terrain highway. Since 2011 they have tried to justify this wasteful, unwanted and unneeded project by appealing to our sensibilities. They have tried to tell us that to stop the “brain drain” in our communities, we must have an interstate highway. According to the cabal, this new highway will attract new businesses, and that will keep our “brains”, young people, from moving away.

The cabal has also said US-231, through Martin County, is “dangerous” and in “disrepair”.  We are also told that US-231 is “heavily traveled” by trucks, that it should be avoided; therefore, we need a new super highway.

They tell us that if we build a new highway, with by-passes around Huntingburg, Jasper and Loogootee, it will attract new industry and business; and, we will have an economic boom. 

The interesting, and frightening facts are they have been, and continue to be. wrong. They have chosen routes that are not the most direct/shortest, they have not explained how they will stop the brain drain nor have they explained how by-passing cities and towns will create economic activity.

This cabal, supported by our duly elected representatives, wants the Mid-State Corridor solely for their own gain. They and our elected representatives are not working for the betterment of the community. I say this because the cabal is, and always been, made up of businessmen who will be greatly enriched by the mere construction of the Mid-State Corridor. They are people like Hank Menke, Mark Schroder, Ken Mulzer, Jr., Mike Braun, Mark Messmer and Shane Lindauer. I found all these names in articles about the history of the Mid-State Corridor in the local newspapers.

Keep the history of the Mid-State Corridor in mind as you go about your daily activities. Think about how the Corridor can and will affect these activities. It will become apparent that the Mid-State Corridor will add travel time and inconvenience to the most mundane of things in our daily lives.

As always, we can stop the Mid-State Corridor, and we will.

Jim Arvin
Rutherford Township
Martin County