Students were asked to plot their own course for the proposed Interstate 69 extension, with reportedly about 10 minutes or about $1 billion in tax dollars at stake.
Their edict won't sway Gov. Frank O'Bannon, who decided in January to build the road to follow State Road 57 north from Evansville.
The students' hypothetical decision, however, concluded a debate between two economists Tuesday. One argued that the route would save driving time and grow the economy; the other contended that the shorter route was not worth the extra billion it could cost.
Pat Barkey, the director of economic and policy studies at Ball State's Bureau Of Business Research, argued for the governor's decision and its potential to pave the way for economic development in counties needing help.
"It's always been access to transportation and trade that has made the difference in economic prosperity," Barkey said.
A large map projected behind Barkey displayed Indiana's 92 counties color-coded to indicate prosperity. Red counties were the most wealthy. Yellow counties, however, ranked the lowest with a household income of below $20,000.
And according to Barkey's map, O'Bannon's proposal would cut right through the yellow sea located in the southwest corner of Indiana.
Barkey didn't provide any specific numbers, but the governor's office said the extension would create $162 million in personal income growth a year.
Barkey also said the governor's route would save 10 minutes in driving time.
The saving may seem slight, Barkey said, but not so when you consider how much it will add up over the road's duration.
The 10 minutes would also contribute to about four hours of saved time when the interstate is extended to Mexico.
"Here you're talking about some serious change," Barkey said.
One student later asked if the new road would create too much urban sprawl in those areas.
"The people in the yellow, they would love to have that problem," Barkey said.
"Some of them would," rebutted Barkey's opponent, Bill Styring. "One man's economic development is another man's ugly sprawl."
Styring, an economist and public policy analyst who formerly worked for the State Budget Agency, criticized O'Bannon's decision and said Barkey's economic-development theory was a "crapshot."
"Very often in the real world, those numbers do not pan out," Styring said. "Ten minutes versus (a) billion bucks -- that doesn't seem to be a very good pay off."
The billion dollars also doesn't included any environmental damage done by building new roads, Styring said.
Instead of following State Road 57, Styring proposed the state renovate Interstates 70 and 41. The project would do less damage to the environment, cost less and possibly take less time, though Styring said he couldn't be certain.
Styring's route would also cut a swath through Barkey's yellow counties.
Another opponent of the O'Bannon extension -- the national taxpayer watchdog group, Taxpayers for Common Sense -- said the 70/41 route would save $600 million. Another group, the Hoosier Environmental Council, estimated the savings closer to Styring's $1 billion.
Both Styring and Barkey agreed, however, that building the road by itself would do little to provide short-term economic gain, and they also concurred that it will be a long time until the road is completed.
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