Opinion: I-65 project shows public-private partnerships work

By August 2020, Interstate 65 in both directions between Columbus and Seymour will feature three lanes of traffic. The project will improve travel conditions along the route.

The $143 million project also includes the rehabilitation of 27 bridges between Columbus and Seymour, and stoplight improvements at the State Road 58 exit.

That’s all good news for motorists, although they will have to put up with construction headaches in the meantime. In the end, however, the improvements should make the pains worthwhile.

The Interstate 65 Southeast Indiana Project is the latest example of how public-private partnerships work in the Columbus community.

Local industries located near the interstate — such as Cummins Inc., Phoenix Group, Sunright America, LHP Tech, Advanced Mold and Engineering and NTN Driveshaft — worked with the state for nine years. They helped review data about the State Road 58 (Walesboro-Ogilville) exit, and offered guidance about how to proceed and pay for it. The companies even provided some funding.

Public-private partnerships have served the Columbus community well for decades. The new Commons is one example. City, county, state and Cummins officials working together to get the west-side overpass project moving along quicker is another more recent example.

It’s a model that should continue to serve the community well in the future.

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