Residents Press Commissioners to Oppose Midstates Corridor; Group Seeks County Resolution

A coalition of residents and outside advocates urged DuBois County commissioners on Monday to formally oppose the Midstates Corridor new-terrain highway project, arguing it would harm farms, forests and neighborhoods and that prior studies found the proposal economically and environmentally infeasible.

Jason McCoy, speaking for the Property Rights Alliance and Stop the Mid States Corridor Coalition, presented a one-page resolution asking the commission to declare opposition to the corridor, to refuse to grant eminent-domain powers to a regional development authority and to withhold local funding. McCoy read language asserting that previous studies (Donahue, Rust, EarthTech, Cambridge and the I-67 study) found new-terrain bypasses infeasible and described the Lochmuller/Tier 1 process as flawed in local testimony.

Why this matters: The Midstates Corridor proposal — a long-studied potential north–south link that would alter land use and access across multiple counties — has drawn sustained public attention. Opponents say the project would displace homeowners and farms, sever habitat and raise local maintenance and tax burdens; proponents argue improved connectivity will attract jobs and investment.

Public testimony: Dozens of residents spoke during the public-comment period. Comments included statements that the corridor would: displace more than 100 homeowners; take thousands of acres of farmland and forest; cut wetlands; and deliver uncertain economic benefits. McCoy and several other speakers said prior corridors and bypass projects did not deliver promised growth in the communities they crossed, and they criticized the authority and transparency of the regional development authority created under state law.

Officials’ response: Commissioners said they had supported an early study and that they continue to review information. One commissioner said the county’s role so far was limited to funding an initial study several years ago; others said they want to weigh the project’s long-term benefits for the region against harm to residents and the tax base. The board did not act on the resolution at Monday’s meeting.

What to watch: Residents asked commissioners to sign the resolution and to be active in discussions that will follow; commissioners said they will continue to evaluate studies, hear constituents and consult with state and local partners before taking a formal position.

Direct quote from a public speaker: Jason McCoy read the draft resolution’s concluding request that the Board of Commissioners “oppose and will no longer support the continuation of the Midstates Corridor new terrain highway project,” and that the board “will not grant powers of eminent domain or otherwise land acquisition to the...Regional Development Authority.”