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JASPER, Ind. — Highway planners are proposing a new corridor in southern Indiana they say would save Hoosiers time traveling through rural parts of the region.

The proposal is for a terrain highway to be built starting at I-64 in northern Spencer County and ending at I-69 near the Crane Naval Base. Project managers with Mid-States Corridor say the route would allow Hoosiers to bypass Jasper, Huntingburg, and Loogootee while also making those cities and towns more accessible.

But, there are many Hoosiers in the area where the highway would be built that are staunchly against the project. Mark Nowartarski is with a coalition of residents who are fighting the proposal and he says you would not save a lot of time using the new highway compared to taking the already existing US 231.

“By putting in a new terrain highway, traveling between Jasper and Indianapolis, you will save between two and five minutes,” Nowartarski told WISH-TV. “You’re destroying people’s homes, people’s farmlands, businesses, and institutions to put a billion-dollar, 54-mile new terrain highway in.”

“This project represents ridiculous extravagance and fiscal waste on the part of the political leaders supporting this project,” said Indiana Forest Alliance Executive Director Jeff Stant. “There is zero need – unless you own a trucking company – to build a new-terrain road right beside 231.”

He said the cost is not equal to the benefit of the project, especially with Gov. Eric Holcomb already signing off on an additional $72 million in state funding for upgrades to US 231.

Residents have until May 31st to comment on the proposal. If you wish to submit a public comment visit midstatescorridor.com.