Indiana Gov. Mike Pence wants to finish what was started on I-69, but will need a jolt of financial energy for the final stretch.
At an Indiana Government Center South forum on May 22, Pence told a group of contractors, designers and financial firms he is committed to complete the final segments of I-69 from Evansville to Indianapolis. He also said tolls will not be used to finance construction, but did not indicate how the needed funds would be generated. Pence’s predecessor, former Gov. Mitch Daniels, moved I-69 from Evansville to Bloomington at a cost of $1.5 billion. However, most of the money was provided by Indiana’s Major Moves funds.
Will Wingfield, spokesman for the Indiana Department of Transportation, said an I-69 stretch from Bloomington to Martinsville will cost about $394 million, but so far there is not an estimate for the segment that would run into Marion County.
Still, Pence declared the completion of I-69 ranks higher than other major highway construction projects on the state wish list.
“My philosophy of roads is simply this,” he said. “You have three priorities when it comes to infrastructure. No. 1, you take care of what you got. No. 2, you finish what you started, and No. 3 you plan for the future.
“The message here today is we’re going to finish what we started. And we’re going to use all the resources that we have at our disposal to do that in a way that serves the interests of taxpayers and is efficient and effective and under budget.”
