Illiana Expressway could be private toll concession

The Illiana Expressway is being pushed in the Indiana legislature as private toll concession. Bills are moving in the Indiana state legislature to allow the expressway to proceed as a toll concession. The state senate bill SB382 has been approved by the transportation committee. A similar house bill HB1312 has yet to be voted.

The funny name Illiana derives from Illinois and Indiana and reflects the proposed tollroads's location in the two states. The project is proposed for an east-west corridor on the southern fringe of the greater Chicago/NW Indiana metro complex. It would link I-65 near Crown Point IN with I-57 north of Peotone IL.

That's about 55km, 34km south of Chicago's downtown Loop and 25km 15 miles south of I-80 the major existing east-west route on the southside of the Chicago area.

There is less enthusiasm for the road in Illinois, no permitted route, and no traffic and revenue survey.

TOLLROADSnews 2010-01-22