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Residents raise concerns about Mid‑States Corridor impacts on tourism, safety and property values
Summary
Public commenters at the Nov. 3 meeting questioned the Mid‑States Corridor's local benefits, citing potential tourism decline, longer emergency response times, decreased land values and marginal travel‑time savings; Commissioner Blessinger read INDOT responses to some questions.
Commissioner Chad A. Blessinger provided an update on the Mid‑States Corridor and read responses he had received from INDOT Project Manager Kyanna Wheeler. Several residents used the public‑comment period to express concerns about the project's local impacts.
David Ring, a landowner who has studied countywide zoning issues, pointed out that 12 Indiana counties do not have zoning and questioned building a road that might only save "approximately 3 minutes" of travel time. Melanie Barrett and John Kaltenbacher from the Town of Holland said aspects of the corridor (including j‑turns) could affect EMS response times and tourism; Kalenbacher said the town fears loss of tourism and economic activity. Sheila Wendholt asked how people would access work and school during construction and how fire protection would be covered. Roger Pund noted funding concerns and said local taxes such as local income tax or wheel taxes could increase to cover costs.
Blessinger said he attended meetings both supporting and opposing the corridor and that he had submitted questions to INDOT and read INDOT's written responses to the record. No formal county action on the corridor was taken at the Nov. 3 meeting.
