US DOT selected 800 miles of I-70 through Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Ohio as a "Corridor of the Future," one of six nationally significant transportation corridors. Given growth of freight movement along I-70 and changes in truck size and weight, the corridor has increasing need for more capacity to serve through trips.  The concept developed by the four state DOTs is to add four dedicated truck lanes to the existing infrastructure, two in each direction, with at least one interchange per county providing access to the truck lanes.  The project is seen as a way to reduce congestion, improve safety, and offset the maintenance costs of general purpose lanes.

Wilbur Smith Associates conducted the feasiblity study, completing the economic analysis using TREDIS.  That analysis considered the economic impacts of three sets of factors: (1) spending on operation and maintenance of the facility, (2) the productivity effect of improvements in travel efficiency, including speed, reliability and safey, and (3) financing including options for tolls.  The TREDIS analysis by WSA calculated approximately 20 years of regional economic benefits to the counties adjacent to the I-70 corridor study in the four states.  It showed a net overall gain of $36 billion of additional regional output and 258,000 job-years of additional employment from 2015 through 2030.

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Press Release Describing the Project