Some old and some new

I have been haring off doing this and that, trying to make a living, braving the blizzard, and a few other things called a life that I overlooked a few things:

from last month's Star about the toll road to nowhere:

Many of those attending said cutting the county in half through farms, school districts, and small communities is not worth the economic benefits the project is supposed to generate. Others said the toll road may not even solve traffic woes.

“A toll road may, in fact, make things worse,” said Gary Moody. “A foreign consortium running that road would want more congestion because it would be good for business.”

Part of the proposed plan would give a private company operating the toll road a non-competition clause preventing the state from building an alternate route parallel to the toll road until the end of a possible 75-year lease.

A resident of Franklin, Moody, 50, also referred to the Central Indiana Suburban Transportation and Mobility Study conducted by the state in 2005. The study indicated the outer belt would be located on the edge of where the Indianapolis metropolitan area might be in another 30 years. Until then, few local travelers would likely use the beltway with one exception – those currently traveling between Anderson and Indianapolis on I-69 could instead take the outer belt to I-70 East, according to the report.

“We spent $850,000 on that study,” said Bobbie Tranter, 47, of Needham Township. “They’re saying that it did not show them what they need to know, or is it that it did not show them what they wanted it to say? In 20 years if this is needed, let’s go for it and do it and take my land. But until then let’s deal with the problems we need to deal with today.”

Several constituents questioned the route of the proposed saying it should be built near cities like Kokomo and Anderson where residents have faced job losses due to shut-downs of factories in automotive industries.

Others attending the meeting asked why the toll road is not being built in Hamilton County where traffic congestion, especially on I-69 near Fishers and Noblesville, is causing headaches for commuters traveling between the northern bedroom communities and Indianapolis.

Farmers in the audience are also concerned they will not be able to pass their land on to children and grandchildren, or that they will not be paid a fair price by the state for land that is now commanding about $25,000 an acre by developers. Some lament not only the potential loss of farms but also history of the area.

“Are we going to be giving the governor a blank check,” asked Sara Earles, 62, of Nineveh Township. “We have old cemeteries and history that will be wiped out if this goes through.”

Here is a link to get a look at the Senate Bill for the ICC. It went to the House on the 12th. Not sure if the General Assembly is shut down due to the snow or not. Masson's Blog has a report on the Senate vote. Looks like the vote was not along party lines.

From this post on today's TDW, I get the idea that the Governor and the President both want to push toll roads.

The Indianapolis Star had this rather lackluster report of Daniels' reception in Washington, DC.

Kenn Gividen has a post here with a different view on the subject. I disagree heartily and completely but it is a well written Libertarian argument.

Am I the only one who wonders about who will get the benefit from these privatization deals? Is Mighty Mitch going to have a cozy job waiting for him after he gets booted out of office? One of TDW's posters said he wanted a conservative because Mitch was a Liberal. Mitch is not a Liberal. Mitch is a short-sighted idiot who is a toady for Big Business instead of being our governor. Though, I do agree with that poster that if we pay taxes, we ought not pay user fees. That combination does nothing but infuriate Hoosiers.

Mass transit hearing - Terri Austin news

From Jim Shella's blog:

February 1, 2007 12:11 pm

Those who feel the Transportation Committee in the state Senate gave too little attention to mass transit issues while passing a toll road bill the other day will be happy to know that the House Roads Committee will take a different approach.

Chairman Terri Austin plans a February 14th hearing with national experts coming to discuss mass transit possibilities.

Austin says she wants to raise the debate to a new level.

I assume the Governor's Tollroad to Nowhere is to be included in the discussion.

The Interstate Commerce Connector lives on

Thank goodness for Taking Down Words. Between work, writing some articles and starting another blog, I have not been able to write anything on this subject. I probably ought to be embarrassed by this. I think this is the most important state initiative in the area. As I also think it barely rates being described as a crock, I should have been doing better. I started this on January 20 so some of it may be a bit dated.

There is a new website on the Governor's toll road proposals. Again, kudos to Taking Down Words for pointing the way. Alltollded.com has a page for the ICC called Indy Bypass Toll Road.

TDW provided the pointer to article by the Indianapolis Star's Matt Tully: Mass transit gets stuck in slow lane at Statehouse. Madison County got a mention besides Senator Lanane:

Jerrold Bridges, with the Madison County Council of Governments, traveled from Anderson to support Lanane's bill. He said many areas competing with Indianapolis for life-science jobs are far ahead when it comes to public transportation.

He pointed to air quality benefits, economic development potential around rail stops and young workers who enjoy walkable cities where your car doesn't dictate your life.

"It's a competitive issue, as well as a quality-of-life issue," Bridges said.

I would suggest that there is no great distinction between the competitive issues and the quality-of-life-issues. Also, I suggest reading the TDW post, especially the comments. I got to admit that I find myself annoyed by the myopic view of some but there is a comment about costs that has not been rebutted.

I am glad to see our Senator Lanane getting behind this idea. I know that he has been interested in the idea for the past few years.

I found this on Matt Tully's blog:

Paging Bart Peterson

Posted by Matt Tully

The most interesting part of yesterday's Senate committee hearing on the new suburban Indianapolis toll road came when Sen. Jean Breaux spoke up.

"I'm curious why there would be no one representing Marion County in the discussion," she said, about planning for the new toll road.

Committee Chairman Thomas Wyss looked stunned, saying, "This is economic development at its best." He argued the new bypass would be fantastic for Marion County. He was puzzled by the concern coming from Breaux, an Indianapolis Democrat. It was as if Wyss, R-Fort Wayne, had never even considered the idea that a toll road meant to spur development outside of Indianapolis could actually harm the city.

"We don't know that it's going to be economically beneficial," Breaux said.

She's right. But you really can't blame Wyss. After several weeks of debate about the new toll road, Mayor Bart Peterson has declined to express his support or opposition. Indianapolis isn't trying to be a player in this issue.

It's surprising that an Indianapolis mayor would stay out of a debate that could have an impact on the city for generations. But most believe Peterson either does not want to offend Gov. Mitch Daniels, or is certain Democratic House Speaker Pat Bauer will kill the idea when it moves to the House.

The Noblesville Ledger attended another of Gustin's road shows. I-69 needs attention, says resident.

We all know we need economic development. We all want economic development. So we are going to be susceptible to any offer of a better economy. However, the Governor has not shown one iota of fact to support his claim that this will benefit anyone other the company who gets the contract to build the road.

Compare the Governor's sales pitch with this from Alltolled:

This study concluded that, if a freeway were built to totally encircle Marion County, it would reduce traffic volume on the very NE corner of I-465 between I-69 and I-70 as well as the west and northern legs of I-465. It would also reduce traffic on I-69 between the new freeway and I-465 as well as traffic on SR 9. But, the freeway beltway would also increase traffic on I-70 between this new beltway and I-465.

The study further concluded: "These travel simulations indicated that most I-69 traffic was either destined for the Indianapolis region or would use I-465 to travel through the study area. The need for a new freeway bypass of Indianapolis to serve I-69 traffic was not indicated."

Commerce Connector

I wanted to parse the Governor's State of the State speech but just not had the time this past week. He talked nice about us Democrats but as my mom used to say - actions speak louder than words. He still wants to push his Interstate Commerce Connector.

Even if I have not been able to keep up with the Governor's "grand vision", others are doing a grand job. TDW has been following up with posts here and here and here. TDW also excerpted a piece which, I think, hits some good points that bothers us - we pay the gas tax to fund roads and now now you want us to pay tolls, too?

Closer to home but with less skill the the Herald-Bulletin covered the local presentation. I saw nothing forewarning us about this meeting. Wish I had. Reading the comments on the H-B page show that I was not the only one ignorant of the meeting. Anyway, the story is here: Commerce Connector meets resistance. A couple of things here still have me scratching my head:

Joseph Gustin, deputy commissioner of public-private partnerships for INDOT, gave a short introduction before answering questions before an audience of about 50 people.

“The governor is committed to economic growth in Indiana,” Gustin said. “And having viable transportation infrastructure is an important part of the plan.”

***

Gustin further compounded the problem with a seemingly conflicted message.

“This project was never intended to ease traffic north of Indianapolis,” Gustin said, which seemed to contradict proposed benefits of the project listed in provided documentation. He also said the contract for Interstate 69 does not include a noncompetition clause, while state Sen. Tim Lanane, D-District 25, said the opposite.

Gustin said INDOT looked at median income, property growth, sales tax revenue and building permits in Indiana’s 92 counties and found that those numbers were strongest in communities with access to interstate highways. Of the last 327 deals completed by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Gustin said, 80 percent were completed in counties with Interstate access.

But INDOT must continue exploring traffic volumes, locations and environmental effects.

“Once we have that, we can determine the preliminary viability,” Gustin said. “Right now, we’re asking the Legislature to transfer P3 authority from I-69 to the Indiana Commerce Connector and the Illiana Expressway.”

Give the Herald-Bulletin reporter credit for noticing that Gustin contradicted one of INDOT's and Mighty Mitch's reasons for this project - congestion at 69 and 465. Is this a sign that the Governor's attention span, ideas, justifications are as variable as those of his former boss? (Remember the President shifting from WMD in Iraq to regime change to democracy in Iraq as why we needed to invade Iraq.) On the hand, remove congestion from the discussion and then no need to discuss alternatives like light rail.

I suspect Lanane knows what he is saying when he says there is a non-competition agreement. I cannot see a business making the kind of investment craved by the Governor without one. Who wants to put in that kind of money and then have another company open another toll road in competition? No non-competition agreement makes this whole thing a very dubious deal or shows just how unbusinesslike our businessman governor really is.

I do wish I had been here to hear this Gustin explain how it is that Interstate access does not help businesses. Sure, most business locate near the Interstates. Talk about your obvious conclusions. The real issue is whether all interstate intersections are created equal. They are not. Take a look at 332 and 69, or ask why Milroy or Cloverdale or Warren or Remington are not bustling centers of commercial activity. Still thinking the Governor has watched Field of Dreams too many times.

But the real kicker here, I think, is caught in this phrase: "we can determine the preliminary viability..." I read that to mean they have no facts supporting this idea.

Add all this in with this brief report from the Indianapolis Business Journal:

Oil to hit $100 a barrel, commodities expert predicts
Fri, Jan 19 - 2007
IBJ Editorial Staff
The slide in oil prices that dragged gas prices in Indianapolis below $2 a gallon won’t last more than two years, according to Jim Rogers, who in 1999 predicted the surge in oil, metal and grain prices.

The author of “Hot Commodities” and creator of the Rogers International Commodity Index told Bloomberg that booming growth in China and other Asian countries will push oil above $100 a barrel in the long term.

Oil prices dipped briefly below $50 yesterday after hitting $78.40 in July as warm weather cuts demand.

So all we can look forward to are increased gas prices and our State's grand transportation plan is all about building more roads?

Some updates on the Interstate Commerce Connector

Frankly, I was beginning to think Mighty Mitch's new toll road was dead so I neglected a few reports on the subject. Looking around the web shows that Mitch is talking out of both sides of his mouth. This is from the Herald-Bulletin on the 12th:

“Right now our focus is on legislation that would allow the governor and the administration to explore P3 agreements for projects such as the Commerce Connector,” said Jamie Jorczak, director of communications and marketing for INDOT during a visit to The Herald Bulletin.

“Our focus is not so much on breaking ground or where it’s going to go, those things will come with our studies. Our focus right now is on the authority to explore that path.”

On Monday, the opening day of the Legislature, bill No. 001 was introduced in the Indiana Senate. The bill would allow INDOT to explore P3 agreements and must be passed by mid-February to move onto the Indiana House before the end of the legislative session on April 29.

Taking Down Words has a post here on the private/public partnership proposals which leads to an INDOT page on public-private partnerships here. I have seen 2:00 am infomercials which did not salivate so heavily with self-love as this page. ("Governor Daniels has received national recognition and awards for his leadership and use of public-private partnerships in addressing Indiana’s transportation infrastructure needs." I think he got some award from some trucking industry group for his toll road lease/sale which is his only private-public transportation deal to date.). In case anyone forgot here is the general plan:

In P3 agreements, private sector funding is used to design, build, finance, maintain and operate a public facility:

• In return for paying to create the road, and also paying a premium above this cost, the company collects tolls on the facility for a designated time period.
• The highway remains a publicly-owned asset, and it must be maintained to state and federal standards.
• State officials monitor the management of the facility and set the parameters for toll increases over the life of the agreement.

No mention of what happens when the private company goes bankrupt is there? Hmm.

But that page will take you to this INDOT page with a nice map of where the Governor thinks the route should go (I cam beginning to think the guy thinks he is Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams - build it and they will come). With more hype paid for by our tax dollars:

• Local officials across Central Indiana support the Indiana Commerce Connector and call it an innovative plan to attract new investment and jobs to their communities.

For those of us in Madison County, look at that map closely. The exit off of I-69 is west of Pendleton and east of the Lapel exit. It appears to come between Pendleton and Ingalls. I suspect it comes very close to some state owned land in Pendleton - the Reformatory. I think Highway 67 would be about two miles south of the I-69 exit. I call that pretty cramped territory for development in an area of farms and some nice housing developments. Pretty cramped, too, from the perspective of the Lapel exit where new housing lots are going up. From there south through Hancock County - west of State Road 9.

For those of us in Anderson, think about a route that is about ten miles away from us. Consider that it is even further to the west of State Road 109 which is a more direct route from I-70 than State Road 9. Just what local officials did Mighty Mitch find that like his plan?

I got to admit that I found this point amusing:

The Indiana Commerce Connector will improve access to Indianapolis International Airport, making it easier for Hoosiers and companies to use this tremendous transportation hub.

Yes, I want to go to the Indianapolis airport by way of Shelbyville and Mooresville when the gas is over $2.00 a gallon. I now have a division in my mind which seems evenly balanced: between anger that the Governor thinks we are stupid and anger over the Governor's lack of common sense.

I must report one good thing (thanks, again, to TDW), even the Republicans are balking at Mitch's road to nowhere.

An aside about the Herald-Bulletin's article, I noticed that the online comments section was empty even though I left a comment there two days ago. I commented that the Governor had not been show that the project would bring the growth he projected. Considering how well the Governor projected the costs of our Iraq fiasco, I think we should severely doubt his abilities to predict anything.