INDOT scraps Link 101 road project

Gov. Eric Holcomb’s $200 million Link 101 road endeavor isn’t moving forward, at least in its original form, following a gloomy cost-benefit analysis and sustained public pushback.

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announced Wednesday that it had pulled the plug on the project — meant to better connect southeastern Indiana — after it finished evaluating alternative options.

“The milestone marked a logical point to reevaluate this project,” the agency said in a news release, noting that it “continuously reevaluates” its priorities.

The project would’ve created a new state road — 101 — going north-south between U.S. 50 and the Markland Dam Bridge on the Ohio River.

“There is potential for great economic development in southeast Indiana, and I was encouraged that the extension of State Road 101 would spur that growth,” Holcomb said in a statement. “But after reviewing INDOT’s project findings, I agree with the assessment that it is not the right time to move forward with the Link 101 project now.”

“Several factors have changed since I announced this project nearly three years ago, including projected costs and local opposition,” he continued. “We’ll continue to seek ways to invest in southeastern Indiana to unlock the great potential that exists there, and INDOT will prioritize updates to the current corridor.”

Opponents of the project celebrated the news.

Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg, said Thursday she was “pleased” to learn INDOT “listened to my concerns as well as those of community members and canceled the Link 101 Corridor Project.”

She first publicly called for the project’s cancellation in March, saying at the time, “While I have tried to remain open-minded on the matter, I stand with the many constituents who have reached out to express their concerns about how the project will impact our communities and their quality of life.”

Republican gubernatorial candidate Jamie Reitenour, a conservative activist, said the project was an example of “overreach and poor planning.”

“They wanted to build a highway that was estimated at $200 million to save 6 to 8 minutes of travel. That highway was targeting a rich area of Indiana land, taking over generational farms and homesteads, and clearly had no support from the people,” Reitenour said in a Wednesday news release.

“When I met with the hard-working residents that have protested for months against this highway, they were distraught and discouraged, but they were not going to give up! I applaud their Hoosier resolve!” she added.

Agency’s next steps

INDOT cited ballooning construction costs as a primary reason for the cancellation: past $450 million, up sharply from the original $200 million estimate announced in 2021. The agency said rising material and labor costs was a factor, as well as “challenging terrain.”

The agency indicated that the pricey project wouldn’t have gotten enough use, noting, “lower traffic volumes limit total benefits to users.”

“There has also been widespread opposition voiced to the project, both in public meetings and through project communication channels,” the agency went on to acknowledge.

INDOT said it would reprioritize the money allocated to the project “statewide, including in southeastern Indiana.”

Leising said she hoped the agency would “reconsider” and use the funds exclusively to improve existing infrastructure in the area.

Correction: A previous version of this story indicated INDOT would consider two alternative alignments. Those options will not move forward.