Illinois and Indiana officials are asking for federal approval of a proposed route for a highway linking Interstate 55 in Illinois with I-65 in northwestern Indiana. The Illiana Expressway route picked by the state highway agencies goes from I-65 just north of Lowell and mostly directly west to I-55 near Wilmington, Ill., skirting the southern side of the proposed airport site near Peotone, Ill. Indiana Department of Transportation spokesman Jim Pinkerton says federal agencies might make a decision on the route as soon as the end of this year. He says work on a more detailed engineering and finance study would start if the route is approved. Lowell Town Councilman Craig Earley says many residents don't believe a new highway would benefit the area.
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