Stop I-69

Check out http://www.bloomingtonalternative.com/articles/2008/04/20/9248

for more pictures and an account of the parade.

These two banners were spotted on the Lloyd Expressway, a 6- to 8-lane freeway in Evansville, on Wednesday. Though no one is sure how long they had been up, friends tell us they were up all day on Wednesday. The first one reads “I-69 benefits CEOs, not you” and was located on the west side. The second one reads “70% of Hoosiers oppose I-69″ and was located on the east side. That statistic in the second banner refers to a study done by the Indiana Department of Transportation and is actually 75% of Hoosiers.

We lost access to the original email for the housing working group (i69housing@yahoo.com - you will not receive a reply), through various faults of our own.  The NEW housing email is newi69housing@yahoo.com.  You WILL receive a reply from newi69housing@yahoo.com.

Gohmann A&C, the company awarded the contract for clearing, and the contract for designing and building the first 1.77 miles of I-69, defrauded taxpayers by swapping core asphalt samples to meet codes over the course of 9 years.
For More Info See:

http://louisville.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2007/12/10/daily7.html

http://dcnonl.com/article/id25783

The following article can be viewed in its original form at http://enr.construction.com/news/transportation/archives/071217.asp

Core-Swap Claim Costs Contractor $8 M to Settle
12/17/2007
By John Adams

Thanks to a whistleblower, an Indiana contractor that fraudulently fattened up tests on asphalt content of its roadwork to receive higher compensation is now paying up.

Gohmann Asphalt and Construction Co., Clarksville, Ind., this month paid $6.7 million to the federal government, $1.1 million to Kentucky and $362,165 to Indiana. Gohmann, which didn’t admit wrongdoing, was nabbed for manipulating asphalt mixture inspections during some $60 million in work on Interstate 64 near Louisville between 1997 and 2006. “I don’t remember anything like this happening around here in the past 15 years,” says David Huber, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, which investigated the case.

The agencies say Gohmann engaged in “core-swapping,” or manipulating test samples so it could receive maximum payment for surpassing a prenegotiated level of asphalt pave density in its work. Gohmann had to return a $5.3 million bonus paid by Kentucky and the feds in 2001 for early completion of a resurfacing project on I-64. President Richard L. Cripe said in a statement that the firm’s “efforts and ethical practices” would allow it to achieve a practical resolution to the claims against it.

The federal settlement includes a $1.1 million payment to whistleblower Paul Roederer, former asphalt crew supervisor for Gohmann until 2002. He now owns his own construction firm. In 2003, Roederer filed a Qui Tam complaint�a provision under the False Claims Act that allows a citizen to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the U.S. “It was a tremendous risk for him,” says C. Dean Furman, Reoderer’s lawyer. “He’s saved the taxpayers millions of dollars.” The suit didn’t render his client immune from possible prosecution for fraudulent acts at Gohmann, he adds.

Gohmann’s work was mostly funded by the Federal Highway Administration, but supervised by the states of Indiana and Kentucky, which analyzed samples of roadwork to test for asphalt pave mixtures. The firm was paid in part based on a formula that took into account the density of asphalt applied to the road-40 percent of its pay for Kentucky projects and 35 percent for Indiana projects. If Gohmann failed to meet an asphalt pave mixture threshold during an inspection of a portion of work, its pay would be reduced for that portion.

To make sure that didn’t happen, court documents say Gohmann workers used density gauges manufactured by Troxler Electronic Laboratories to take density readings prior to the extraction of asphalt “cores” for testing. As such, the firm’s employees knew which sections of roadwork contained “failing” asphalt and which didn’t. So when the state examiners weren’t around, Gohmann workers would take additional “good” samples and swap them for samples the employees knew would fail inspection.

Mark Brown, a spokesman for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, says testing procedures will be shored up in the future in an attempt to prevent this kind of fraud from happening again.

“We’re going to heighten the security of test samples, and we’ll also be testing companion samples off site to make sure that the samples we are taking and the ones we are testing are the same,” he says.

The U.S. and Indiana say Gohmann engaged in swapping in between 10% and 40% of the inspections over the course of 132 different contracts during the nine-year period. “This kind of fraud makes the job of maintaining infrastructure even more difficult than it already is,” says Doug Hexoc, a spokesman for the FHWA. “There are more motorists on the road than ever before. Our highways are taking a beating, and they need to be built correctly.”

A protest against the proposed Trans-Texas Corridor was held at the Texas state capitol in Austin on April 5. According to Texans United for Reform and Freedom (TURF), “thousands” attended.

The Trans-Texas corridor is part of a massive plan to reduce freight traffic (and thereby increase trade with Mexico) with 4,000 miles of new and expanded roads, including toll roads. Most notorious is the “Northeast Texas to Mexico corridor,” part of the planned I-69 NAFTA Superhighway from Canada to Mexico. I-69 has been designated by the US Department of Transportation as a critical “Corridor of the Future.”

http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/17335624.html

http://texasturf.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=424&Itemid=26

The I-69 Listening Project has set up a legal hotline (812-650-4414) for land owners that will be affected by the construction of I-69 in Southern Indiana.  Land owners faced with evictions or eminent domain can contact the number in order to receive free legal aid and be put in touch with lawyers committed to fighting the road.  While this is only one facet of the struggle to stop I-69, we feel it’s vital that land owners receive at least basic legal support and the largest compensation possible for their land, should they be forced to sell.

INDOT has recently stepped up surveying and the police presence in Section 1 of I-69, hoping to intimidate land owners into selling off their property without a fight.  If you have experienced harassment or trespassing by surveyors, please do not hesitate to call this hotline.

You can now send us donations through Pay Pal, using a major credit card, debit card sponsored by a major credit card company, or your own Pay Pal account. We are currently seeking donations for a convergence space - we’re borrowing $3000 and need to pay the persyn back by the end of May. We are also seeking donations for our legal fund, bills (e.g. internet and phone), and general material needs.

Please hold fundraisers, ask sympathetic professors and activists, or whatever you can do!

Click here to donate!!!

If you prefer to send us a check or money order, please mail them to:

The I-69 Listening Project
323 S. Walnut Ave.
Bloomington, IN 47401

A P.O. Box in Evansville will also soon be available, and will be posted here at that time.

Bloomington, In
April 18th-22nd

After over a decade and a half of concerted opposition and public outcry against I-69, the State of Indiana and the Department of Transportation have decided to continue to subvert democracy and undermine the public interest. This February contracts were signed for the clearing of land and demolition of houses along the first two miles of the route. On Wednesday, April 3rd, bids were placed for the actual construction of the first 1.77 miles of the NAFTA Superhighway.
A new phase of resistance is being initiated in response to the disregard the state has shown for the families, forests, and land of Southern Indiana. A weekend of resistance has been planned to kickoff a reinvigorated campaign against the road that is sure to last well into the future. Join us as we up the ante in the fight against I-69!

Friday, the 18th
There will be a potluck and workshops at Boxcar Books ( 310 S. Washington) starting at 5:30pm. Workshops will include a history of resistance to I-69, Know your rights/legal training, affinity group model/security culture, DIY media, and medic training.

Saturday, the 19th
Parade!! A festive and family friendly march against I-69 will take place. Meet at 2:00pm at Peoples Park (Kirkwood and Dunn). Participants are encouraged to bring noise makers, drums, flags, wear costumes, walk on stilts, breathe fire, juggle, and make your own signs expressing how you feel about the road! This is a time for us all to express ourselves and have fun! The march has been endorsed by Indiana Forest Aliance, Students Against the War, No Sweat, COUNT US, and more.

Sunday, the 20th
Vegan Diner (fund raiser). Cheap and hearty vegan diner food will be served from 10:00am - 3:00pm at 1305 W. 11th st. Come and enjoy a laid back atmosphere, good food, and a chance to strengthen the multi generational ties within this movement.

Monday, the 21st
Bloomington Assembly Against I-69. We will be having another big public planning and strategy meeting at the Monroe County Public Library. Meeting will be in room 1-C from 6:30 - 9:00pm. All are welcome.

Tuesday, the 22nd
Day of Action Against I-69! Make a difference this earth day by organizing your own direct action against the superhighway. Autonomous and decentralized actions may take place all day long. Get as creative as you can and don’t be shy, it is up to us all to make this day a success!
Anti - I-69 Old Time Benefit Show: Leftwitch & Higgenbotham, Hazelwood, and Fatted Calf String Band are playing at Max’s Place at 7pm. Good music, good atmosphere, good cause, and good beer. What more can you ask for?

For any questions concerning the weekend or for more information about how to help, contact Roadblockef@yahoo.com