INDIANAPOLIS | A seething state Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, accused state transportation officials of tilting the scale toward private financing for the Illiana Expressway.

After a torrent of public opposition knocked the proposed highway off the legislative fast track this spring, Soliday won approval for a state study of the route, which would connect Interstate 57 in Illinois with Interstate 65 in Lake County.

State law calls for financing options to be included in the study. But Soliday said the bid request that went out to consultants shows the state only is interested in the privately financed tollway model advocated by Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels.

"Right now, I don't think they're in compliance with the spirit, intent and letter of the law," Soliday said, adding that attorneys he has spoken with agree. "It appears they defaulted to a (public-private partnership), which is what they wanted to do all along ... I think their credibility is at risk. I think my credibility is at risk."

Soliday fired off a letter to state Transportation Commissioner Karl Browning Monday but said he decided to make his complaints public after being frustrated by a lackluster response.

Indiana Department of Transportation spokeswoman Shelley Haney said the Illiana project manager was unavailable for comment Thursday. She said INDOT would make Illiana documents available today.