http://www.ftaaimc.org/en/2005/02/6446.shtml
Opposing Interstate 69: the NAFTA Super Highway
Taken from
http://www.tnimc.org/feature/display/4037/index.php
April , 01.06.2005 10:12
On Wednesday, December 29th a group of activists came through Nashville to speak about the construction of Interstate 69.
Interstate 69 is a new proposed highway being built that plans to extend from the Canadian border, across the United States, through Tennessee, to end at the Mexican border. This summer, thousands of people plan to converge in Indiana where the construction of the "NAFTA Super Highway" has been contested. Embracing a variety of approaches the activists plan to put a stop to I-69 and deal a crucial blow to the FTAA.
On Wednesday, December 29th a group of activists came through Nashville to speak about the construction of Interstate 69. Interstate 69 is a new proposed highway being built that plans to extend from the Canadian border at Port Huron, Michigan across the United States to end at the Mexican border in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
The new interstate has been described as a "North American trade route," "international trade route," and a "NAFTA corridor." The Federal Highway Administration has adopted this statement of overall purpose to the new highway:
To improve international and Interstate trade in accordance with national and state goals; to facilitate economic development in accordance with state, regional, and local policies, plans, and surface transportation consistent with national, state, regional, local needs and with Congressional designation of the corridor.
Interstate 69: Proposed NAFTA Super Highway Connecting Canada to Mexico
This NAFTA Super Highway will pave its way through Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Texas and provide a direct route for trucks carrying goods produced in Mexico by underpaid, exploited laborers. The low wages that Mexican factory workers receive make it an ideal place of production for the North American Free Trade Area.
The main goal of the new highway is to cut down on truck driver hours when bringing Mexican produced goods up to America and Canada.
The next tier of interstate 69 that is scheduled to be built is the branch that crosses through Indiana and will provide a direct connection between Indianapolis and Evansville.
The environmental impact will be devastating, cutting down around 1150 acres of forest and destroying more than 300 acres of rich wetlands. This, of course, is not even taking into account the sprawl and development of the once peaceful area around the highway. The new route is sure to destroy Indiana?s sensitive ="
http://igs.indiana.edu/geology/karst/ka ... /index.cfm">karst landscape, which is not found in many other areas. The highway is planned to bisect the New Pakota Wetlands Project as well as the Wildlife Refuge (which is home to threatened or endangered species).
Those in favor of I-69 say that the new federal corridor will bring an economic rejuvenation to small townships that the interstate will bypass. In reality, the section that passes through Indiana alone will cost the state 1.8 billion dollars.
The Federal Government plans to toll federal taxpayers with 80% of this cost or around 1.44 billion dollars (this is only for the Indiana segment). The entire highway (linking Canada with Mexico) will cost the federal taxpayers somewhere between 6 and 10 billion dollars. All taxpayers should not be burdened with the financial strain of the ?Mid-continent NAFTA Super Highway? that will not cut down on travel time for the rest of America by any means. Governor Frank O?Bannon of Indiana would be forced to use up almost all of Indiana?s discretionary highway dollars, thereby leaving almost no money for highway maintenance and improved public transportation.
An unusual coalition of people has come together in Indiana to oppose the new highway. Environmentalists to hunters and businesspeople to farmers have joined voices to call out against I-69. Editorials have been written in almost all major Indiana newspapers against the proposed new highway. An alternative route has been introduced that will cut out all federal spending and save Indiana an estimated $680 million dollars. The new route will use US 41/I-70 and improve those existing highways. Interstate 69: Proposed NAFTA Super Highway Connecting Canada to Mexico
http://images.indymedia.org/imc/tenn...037_1_I-69.JPG
This summer, thousands of people plan to converge in Indiana where the construction of I-69 has been contested.
Embracing a variety of approaches the activists plan to put a stop to I-69 and deal a crucial blow to the FTAA.