What is the Indiana Commerce Connector?

The Indiana Commerce Connector would be a 75-80 mile outer loop around the northeast, east, and south sides of Indianapolis. This tolled highway would run from Interstate 69 near Pendleton, past Greenfield, Shelbyville, Franklin, Martinsville, and terminate west of the Indianapolis International Airport. It would intersect with Interstates 70, 74, 65 and 69, and other major state highways. The Indiana Commerce Connector will be a public asset owned by the State of Indiana.

Why is it called the Indiana Commerce Connector?

Tens of thousands of new jobs and hundreds of new plants and facilities are coming to Indiana. Our state is becoming a key global transportation hub. Indiana is expected to see a considerable growth in the amount of people and products utilizing our transportation network. The Indiana Commerce Connector provides a key link between our state’s highways and transportation facilities and commerce hubs.

How much would it cost to build the Indiana Commerce Connector?

Early estimates from Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) suggest it could cost between $1 billion and $1.5 billion in today’s dollars. However, since this highway would only be built through a public-private partnership, the winning management company would shoulder of the cost of building, maintaining, and managing the highway. Governor Daniels is directing INDOT to immediately initiate a comprehensive study to determine the project’s exact cost, the location of the road, and an estimate of the highway’s value. The study will take approximately two years to complete.

How will the Indiana Commerce Connector be funded?

Governor Daniels will ask the Indiana General Assembly to transfer tolling authority currently authorized through a public-private partnership (P3) from Interstate 69 (Evansville to Indianapolis) project to the Indiana Commerce Connector. After INDOT completes its study, the agency would solicit bids from companies to design, build, maintain and operate the highway as a toll road using private money. Without the General Assembly transferring tolling authority from Interstate 69 to the Indiana Commerce Connector, the highway cannot be built.

How much money will Indiana receive for the right to build and manage the Indiana Commerce Connector?

Preliminarily, INDOT believes the value of the Indiana Commerce Connector would not only be enough to pay for the Connector, but would generate additional proceeds to help finish the critical Interstate 69 project. INDOT’s study will provide a better indication of the value of the highway That study will take approximately two years to complete and will be shared with elected leaders and Hoosiers.