Indiana Supreme Court Orders Hearing on Toll Road Appeal

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he Indiana Supreme Court has agreed to quickly hear an appeal of a county judge’s ruling on a suit filed to block a 75-year lease of the Indiana Toll Road to a foreign consortium, the Associated Press reported.

Opponents of the plan filed notice Monday that they would appeal a judge’s ruling that they must post a $1.9 billion bond to continue their legal challenge, AP said.

The groups filed their suit in April, objecting to a plan to lease the road to a Spanish-Australian consortium. (Click here for previous coverage.)

The court scheduled oral arguments in the case for next Tuesday and ordered attorneys for seven Indiana residents and the Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana to file their appeal by this Thursday.

The state requested the expedited hearing because the private investors can pull out of the nearly $3.8 billion deal if there is still a viable lawsuit by the end of this month, AP said.

Separately, the toll road on Saturday raised its rates for truckers. (Click here for previous coverage.)