Tom Warne Report, 11 January 2013
Indiana could use more public-private partnerships on major highways according to the state’s governor-elect Mike Pence. Pence will succeed fellow Republican Mitch Daniel, taking office January 14, and has said he plans to name a special panel to complete I-69, likely a as a public-private partnership.
Daniels used some of the money from the 2006 lease of the Indiana Toll Road to fund 142 mile “missing link” of I-69 between Evansville and Indianapolis. The first 67-mile section of the project opened in November 2012, which connected I-64 near Evansville to U.S. 231 near Crane. Construction has already started on the next section, stretching the 27 miles from Crane to Bloomington.
Pence said he intends to complete the highway from Bloomington to Indianapolis. Recent studies report that the $3.85 billion payment Indiana received from the 75-year lease of the Indiana Toll Road will be spent by next year.