David MacAnally - Eyewitness News
Before long-haul trucker Art Spolsky climbs into his big rig, he tells us "I think it would be a good thing."
Car driver Tom Mann, at the same I-70 rest stop agrees. "Truck drivers would love it. They would love it."
They're talking about a four-state study underway to create truck-only lanes on busy and fast growing I-70 where truck traffic growth is outpacing four wheelers.
The Indiana Department of Transportation linked up with Ohio, Illinois and Missouri for a feasibility study. It's still underway. But building the lanes would mean buying more land, preparing it for construction and laying all that concrete.
INDOT's Will Wingfield says safety would be one reason. Separating can and truck traffic to prevent devastating accidents like one on I-70 and I-465 Monday. He says it could also be an economic benefit to the state by promoting more freight traffic and boosting the economy.
Indiana Rep. Senator Tom Wyss says tolls might be needed to pay for truck only lanes. He says "It's something we're going to have to do in the future. There's no more money coming from the state's there's no more money from the feds."
Sen. Wyss supports a bill to give the Governor power to designate toll roads. The Federal Government would have to OK tolls.
But studies continue and construction would be years down the road. The cost is still to be determined.
