I-69: Damaging Indiana Communities

The proposed new-terrain Interstate 69 highway would damage communities from urban Indianapolis neighborhoods to rural Amish settlements. Because it takes advantage of existing roadways, I-70/US 41 would avoid splitting communities and damaging our quality of life.

Splitting An Amish Settlement

The new highway would divide one of Indiana’s largest Amish communities, a century-old settlement outside Washington in Daviess County. Because the Amish travel only by horse-and-buggy, they cannot travel on or across interstate highways. The new highway would create a Berlin Wall-type barrier through this Old Order Amish community, splitting apart families, farms and church districts.

I-69 poses such a threat to their community that nearly 700 Amish signed a petition imploring Governor O’Bannon not to build the new highway through their community.

Destroying Indianapolis Neighborhoods

The leading -- though not final -- plan for the all-new I-69 highway would require a new interchange where State Road 37 meets I-465. Building this new interchange would require destroying 30 homes in the Sunshine Gardens subdivision. That means wiping out a significant portion of an established Indianapolis neighborhood.

Beyond Sunshine Gardens, there would be additional impacts on other neighborhoods in Perry Township. Under the leading plan for a new I-69, a stretch of new interstate would slice through newer neighborhoods, bringing noise and cutting off residents from each other.

Dividing Bloomington in Two

The new highway would divide Bloomington and lead to increased urban sprawl there.  Citing these factors and concerns about the highway’s impacts on Bloomington’s character and quality of life, the Bloomington City Council voted to oppose routing I-69 through Bloomington.

Devastating Terre Haute’s Economy

Terre Haute, Vincennes and other communities along US 41 already have depressed economies and shrinking populations. The proposed new highway would divert an estimated 39 percent of travelers away from the established business corridor along US 41. This would seriously harm businesses like shops, restaurants and hotels, causing further economic decline in these economically struggling communities.