Route to Brookville to Stay Unchanged
Throughout this part of East Central Indiana, there is a longstanding summertime tradition involving hitching up a boat to your large vehicle of choice, heading South on US highway 27 to Liberty, Indiana, and continuing on Indiana 101 to Brookville Lake for a day of water fun, and frequently, excessive drinking.
The tradition makes Indiana 101, and US 27 for that matter, a pretty dangerous stretch of road late in the day on Saturdays and Sundays. Indiana 101 is a real treat for us folks up here in Indiana’s vast flat lands. It winds its way through real hills and dales as it heads through Indiana’s hill country towards the ever hilly landscape in Kentucky. "Scenic" is one word for this route, but state officials (and probably most of the emergency personnel along the route) call it dangerous.
So, 2 years ago, the Indiana DOT announced a 20 Million Dollar project to take out some of the bite of the 44 curves and several hills in hopes of making the route less deadly. If you’ve traveled the route recently, you would have noticed that work was already underway on the massive project. But somewhere along the lines, somebody wised up:
The Indiana Department of Transportation has abandoned the $20 million upgrade announced two years ago, saying the plans wouldn’t make the road safer. Citizen concerns over land requirements and changing the road’s scenic nature were also factors in the decision, INDOT spokesman Will Wingfield said.
September 22nd, 2006 15:51
RISING SUN – State Senate Candidate Lane Siekman announced today that he has learned that Governor Daniels Major Moves initiative won’t help State Road 101 in Union County. While there was no money designated in the Governor’s Major Moves funding last spring, but the Indiana Department of Transportation was still planning to invest in the road. Now INDOT has announced that it will no longer pursue those plans to improve this important road.
Siekman said “State Roads 101 and 1 have both been the scene of several deadly crashes over the years. It’s time that INDOT carries through on their promises! There are no State earmarks for funds like in congressional bills but someone needs to get through to the Governor that this funding is vital to the residents of Liberty and Union County.”
“I call on Governor Daniels to utilize the Major Moves funding in the manner in which it was intended for the benefit of all of the citizens of the State. We need to improve our current road structure before we start building new roads that will tax our maintainence plans and funds.” said Siekman.
Siekman is the Democratic candidate for State Senate in the 43rd District. Senate District 43 includes Dearborn, Franklin, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley and Union counties. For further information please visit http://www.lanesiekman.com or contact siekmanforsenate@yahoo.com.