Indiana awards $98 million contract for I-69 project

WASHINGTON, Ind. — State highway officials have awarded a LaPorte company a $98.8 million contract to build a nine-mile section of Indiana's planned Interstate 69 extension through Daviess County.

Indiana Department of Transportation spokeswoman Cher Goodwin says that with the new contract the state has so far awarded 10 contracts for the new $3 billion, 142-mile highway between Indianapolis and Evansville.

Under its contract, Walsh Construction Company will build a section of the highway running from the White River to a new interchange on U.S. 50. Work is expected to begin this spring.

Environmentalists who oppose the I-69 project say it will destroy forests, wetlands and farmland and create runoff from automobiles and road salt that could harm sensitive caves and springs.