I-69 Ohio River Bridge

[hbelkins]

As I hear more about Mayor Payne, I get more and more convinced that he is a refugee from Alanland.

Update on this situation: I learned yesterday that the study that the mayor wants a copy of is not yet finished. It's still in progress. It's hard to give someone something that doesn't exist.

I also heard that reporters who were outside when Payne went to see Evansville's mayor reported a lot of shouting and loud voices behind the closed door. They couldn't hear what was said, but they said the discussion got pretty heated. Also heard that Payne has acted like, for lack of a better term, a total asshole over this whole deal and has destroyed any goodwill between Owensboro and Henderson and Evansville. Not only that, but he managed to offend and anger Bowling Green with some of his rants.

[Captain Jack]

As I hear more about Mayor Payne, I get more and more convinced that he is a refugee from Alanland.

Update on this situation: I learned yesterday that the study that the mayor wants a copy of is not yet finished. It's still in progress. It's hard to give someone something that doesn't exist.

I also heard that reporters who were outside when Payne went to see Evansville's mayor reported a lot of shouting and loud voices behind the closed door. They couldn't hear what was said, but they said the discussion got pretty heated. Also heard that Payne has acted like, for lack of a better term, a total asshole over this whole deal and has destroyed any goodwill between Owensboro and Henderson and Evansville. Not only that, but he managed to offend and anger Bowling Green with some of his rants.

The picture in the Evansville Courier appears to confirm what you are saying about the meeting. Payne looked like he was crawling away from a vicious beatdown.

This is getting quite facsinating for me. I can't recall a time where a mayor actually went to this kind of length to get a highway, which is nearly complete, re-routed out of the way to benefit him solely. What in his mind could make him even think that Indiana would give an ounce of consideration to building 40-50 miles of new terrain interstate, to replace one they just completed, so Owenboro is on 69 instead of Evansville? His antics are entertaining, but I am afraid they could have serious consequences for Owensboro down the road politically. Alienating Evansville, Henderson, Madisonville and Bowling Green could prove disasterous in this era of regional cooperation.

There is alot of commerce between Owensboro and Evansvillle-Henderson. My bet on the next move is that an Owensboro business leader will publicly call Payne out on this. Meawhile, get some more popcorn.

[silverback1065]

As I hear more about Mayor Payne, I get more and more convinced that he is a refugee from Alanland.

Update on this situation: I learned yesterday that the study that the mayor wants a copy of is not yet finished. It's still in progress. It's hard to give someone something that doesn't exist.

I also heard that reporters who were outside when Payne went to see Evansville's mayor reported a lot of shouting and loud voices behind the closed door. They couldn't hear what was said, but they said the discussion got pretty heated. Also heard that Payne has acted like, for lack of a better term, a total asshole over this whole deal and has destroyed any goodwill between Owensboro and Henderson and Evansville. Not only that, but he managed to offend and anger Bowling Green with some of his rants.

The previous comments made a good point.  they are already building a spur interstate to his city, why does he need another one?

[vdeane]

As I hear more about Mayor Payne, I get more and more convinced that he is a refugee from Alanland.

Update on this situation: I learned yesterday that the study that the mayor wants a copy of is not yet finished. It's still in progress. It's hard to give someone something that doesn't exist.

I also heard that reporters who were outside when Payne went to see Evansville's mayor reported a lot of shouting and loud voices behind the closed door. They couldn't hear what was said, but they said the discussion got pretty heated. Also heard that Payne has acted like, for lack of a better term, a total asshole over this whole deal and has destroyed any goodwill between Owensboro and Henderson and Evansville. Not only that, but he managed to offend and anger Bowling Green with some of his rants.

The previous comments made a good point.  they are already building a spur interstate to his city, why does he need another one?

Well, maybe they won't be now!  I personally wouldn't cancel the interstate over this silliness, but it would be fitting.

[mukade]

I think the Owensboro mayor's plan for I-69 is nonsense, but I do believe this is good example of an instance where a non-freeway Interstate would be a great thing. How many unnecessary billions of dollars have been spent chasing a red, white and blue shield when a less expensive highway would have been more than adequate? I-69 makes no sense, but an expressway I-67 up to I-64 might.

[silverback1065]

I think the Owensboro mayor's plan for I-69 is nonsense, but I do believe this is good example of an instance where a non-freeway Interstate would be a great thing. How many unnecessary billions of dollars have been spent chasing a red, white and blue shield when a less expensive highway would have been more than adequate? I-69 makes no sense, but an expressway I-67 up to I-64 might.

Why isn't the current US 231 good enough?  It's 4 lanes divided and has no traffic lights! Well there's one at US 60. 

[mukade]

I think the Owensboro mayor's plan for I-69 is nonsense, but I do believe this is good example of an instance where a non-freeway Interstate would be a great thing. How many unnecessary billions of dollars have been spent chasing a red, white and blue shield when a less expensive highway would have been more than adequate? I-69 makes no sense, but an expressway I-67 up to I-64 might.

Why isn't the current US 231 good enough?  It's 4 lanes divided and has no traffic lights! Well there's one at US 60. 

That was my point - the current highways (US 231 and the Natcher) from I-64 to I-65 are good enough. Why is it necessary to conflate the Interstate designation with a freeway?

[Pete from Boston]

I can't read the full article due to the paywall, but apparently Ron Payne has "called for a solution that works for all involved."

Never negotiate with someone asking you to help them find a compromise between fantasy and reality.

[Captain Jack]

 

I think the Owensboro mayor's plan for I-69 is nonsense, but I do believe this is good example of an instance where a non-freeway Interstate would be a great thing. How many unnecessary billions of dollars have been spent chasing a red, white and blue shield when a less expensive highway would have been more than adequate? I-69 makes no sense, but an expressway I-67 up to I-64 might.

Why isn't the current US 231 good enough?  It's 4 lanes divided and has no traffic lights! Well there's one at US 60.

Exactly!! He is getting a 20 mile, 3-di spur right into his city. That is more than sufficient for a town of 50K. Evansville has lived with a 20 mile, 3-di spur and it's primary north-south highway being a grade level highway with numerous stoplights for many years. Not to mention, the traffic counts on US 41 are considerably higher than anything that will ever be on US 231 in Southern Indiana.

[Captain Jack]

I can't read the full article due to the paywall, but apparently Ron Payne has "called for a solution that works for all involved."

Never negotiate with someone asking you to help them find a compromise between fantasy and reality.

I am thinking of betting house money he comes up with a 69-E and 69-W.

[vdeane]

Needs an I-69C.  And maybe an I-69CE and an I-69CW too.  Of course, I-69C would be I-69CC there.

[Brandon]

Needs an I-69C.  And maybe an I-69CE and an I-69CW too.  Of course, I-69C would be I-69CC there.

How about an I-69F for Owensboro?  You guys can take a wild guess what the F stands for.

[Grzrd]

I can't read the full article due to the paywall, but apparently Ron Payne has "called for a solution that works for all involved."
Never negotiate with someone asking you to help them find a compromise between fantasy and reality.

A free, condensed version of the paywall article reports that there is at least one true believer in Mayor Payne:

At least one city commissioner is backing him. Immediately following his comments, Commissioner Deborah Nunley called Payne a "fearless leader" and compared him to "a dog with a bone he's not gonna let go of."  She called on the public to support the mayor in his efforts to get the interstate route changed.

No confirmation whether DeNiro will reprise his role in the movie about Mayor Payne.

[silverback1065]

 "It is time we had an interstate in this community."  -Payne
You already do! It's called i-369!!!

"I think there is a solution that can benefit all communities,"  Payne said. "We have an alternative."
Yes it's called I-369!

It's time that we get an interstate through the city of Owensboro,"  he said. "I'm going to continue to push this unless this commission tells me not to."

You already do, and the commission already essentially told you to stop talking about it.

ugh this guy is crazy!

[tdindy88]

Wait, no interstate is going to go THROUGH Owensboro. But sadly, I'm sure this is just 2-di envy. 3-di's (unless it's a bypass of a large city) says that you're good enough for an interstate, but not THAT good enough. Evansville of course for years was served by only a 3-di despite being the third largest city in the state, that of course changes this year. Owensboro, which until recently was the third largest in its state, now gets a 3-di and it's not enough. A 2-di dammit, we are never going to be a major metropolis over 100,000+ unless we have a 2-di! Kentucky I'm sure will just let this die down and Indiana will continue as if they heard nothing.

[NE2]

Wait, no interstate is going to go THROUGH Owensboro.

I-69 will almost completely avoid Evansville city limits as well. A Bowling Green-Henderson Interstate would be in Owensboro more than I-69 will be in Evansville.

[tdindy88]

Agreed, building new interstates through cities is (mostly) out of style these days.

[mukade]

Wait, no interstate is going to go THROUGH Owensboro.

I-69 will almost completely avoid Evansville city limits as well. A Bowling Green-Henderson Interstate would be in Owensboro more than I-69 will be in Evansville.

Key word is "almost". A part of the I-69/SR 66 interchange is in the city limits. See Google Maps. Evansville and Vanderburgh County have discussed a merger, but that failed in 2012 when put to a vote, but I believe annexation is definitely being considered.

[Pete from Boston]

So if he's shooting for the moon, and with political standoffs often ended when the winner finally tosses the loser a token graceful way out, what does Payne get out of this in the end?  Is there a calculated acceptable result here that Payne has decided he can live with?  Even bad politicians don't throw everything they have at guaranteed losing battles.  Does he just have nothing left to lose?  Is it just to get people talking about Owensboro?

[vdeane]

Maybe he's gonna try to take credit for I-369.

[hbelkins]

Wait, no interstate is going to go THROUGH Owensboro. But sadly, I'm sure this is just 2-di envy. 3-di's (unless it's a bypass of a large city) says that you're good enough for an interstate, but not THAT good enough. Evansville of course for years was served by only a 3-di despite being the third largest city in the state, that of course changes this year. Owensboro, which until recently was the third largest in its state, now gets a 3-di and it's not enough. A 2-di dammit, we are never going to be a major metropolis over 100,000+ unless we have a 2-di! Kentucky I'm sure will just let this die down and Indiana will continue as if they heard nothing.

I've heard it said that KYTC's official response to the mayor was far more polite than many wished it had been. There's sentiment out there for a "FOAD" response.

[jnewkirk77]

Wait, no interstate is going to go THROUGH Owensboro. But sadly, I'm sure this is just 2-di envy. 3-di's (unless it's a bypass of a large city) says that you're good enough for an interstate, but not THAT good enough. Evansville of course for years was served by only a 3-di despite being the third largest city in the state, that of course changes this year. Owensboro, which until recently was the third largest in its state, now gets a 3-di and it's not enough. A 2-di dammit, we are never going to be a major metropolis over 100,000+ unless we have a 2-di! Kentucky I'm sure will just let this die down and Indiana will continue as if they heard nothing.

I've heard it said that KYTC's official response to the mayor was far more polite than many wished it had been. There's sentiment out there for a "FOAD" response.

That sentiment is building in Owensboro, too.  I talk to anywhere from 50 to 100 people or more every day in my job at Kentucky Wesleyan College, and I've yet to hear from anyone who thinks this is a good idea.  In fact, the last several days' newspapers have drawn quite a crowd as even the college kids think this is funny stuff to follow.

[Captain Jack]

http://www.tristatehomepage.com/story/d/story/in-depth-christy-gillenwater-reacts-to-mayor-payne/46970/NluqQ1WLekC6G9MzbAt8Xg


SW Indiana Chamber CEO Christy Gillenwater discussing the antics of Mayor Payne with WEHT's Brad Byrd.

[theline]

Thanks for a very interesting clip. It starts out as a roast of Mayor Payne, but it quickly moves on to a serious discussion of the bridges. The Chamber sees the new bridges connecting Evansville and Henderson as inevitable, and I agree. The question is when they will be built. Judging from this clip and other news I've seen upthread, there is a lot of sentiment that it should be done by 2020. That very optimistic goal may not be attainable, but the number of influential forces that are lining up will put a lot of political pressure on getting it done.

[hbelkins]

Thanks for a very interesting clip. It starts out as a roast of Mayor Payne, but it quickly moves on to a serious discussion of the bridges. The Chamber sees the new bridges connecting Evansville and Henderson as inevitable, and I agree. The question is when they will be built. Judging from this clip and other news I've seen upthread, there is a lot of sentiment that it should be done by 2020. That very optimistic goal may not be attainable, but the number of influential forces that are lining up will put a lot of political pressure on getting it done.

That's a lot of work to be done in six years, and I can only imagine the amount of environmental work that will need to be done on a major river crossing like this.

The Brent Spence bridge replacement in Cincinnati is a greater need, and Kentucky will be committing to completing a new 50-mile four-lane Mountain Parkway/KY 114 route between Campton and Prestonsburg by 2020, so I really don't see a 2020 completion date for the I-69 bridges as a reasonable possibility.