One of the curious things about the proposed Illiana Expressway is the strange coalition that has sprung up to oppose it.

You've got the folks in rural south Porter County who are predicting the end of their laid-back way of life if semis start rolling past their porch swings and swimming holes.

And you've got the people in urban north Lake County, fretting that travelers would bypass the fireworks stands, cigarette outlets and fast-food joints along the Borman if the Illiana is built.

It's easy to make light of these groups' concerns. The anti-Illiana element out east looks like just another manifestation of the "I want to enjoy country life by keeping you from joining me" mentality.

Gridlock in Hebron seems unlikely if there is another option for getting from points east of Chicago to points west. The reconstruction and widening of the Borman has eliminated the nearly constant traffic jams there to occasional bottlenecks owing to the Bishop Ford/Dan Ryan roadwork.

And if the economy of the cities and towns along Interstate 80/94 is that dependent on outsiders' impulse spending, then it's in more trouble than we thought.

Plus, with the Borman remaining the free alternative to the Indiana Toll Road and pay-to-drive Illiana, there still will be plenty of traffic going past the roadside businesses in Gary, Hammond, Highland.

But even if the Illiana foes' motives are cloudy, that doesn't mean their questions don't deserve answers.

One of the big issues is why the project -- originally conceived as stretching from Interstate 65 to Interstate 57 -- has morphed into something stretching east to link up with Interstate 94 near Michigan City.

If there's a compelling case for the extension, it has yet to be articulated very well by the Illiana's backers. Is the additional cost -- and yes, the resulting quality-of-life decrease for people in the road's path -- worth whatever benefits would be gained?

Then there's the switch from freeway to toll road. There's a better case for this, namely that it's the only way to actually get the project off the ground before the window of opportunity slams shut.

Still, it's another big change in the makeup of the proposal. And that is another reason the people like Mitch Daniels who are trying to put the Illiana on the fast track need to slow down and address the concerns of the people who would be most directly affected.

If there's a compelling reason to build a longer, toll-funded Illiana, let's get it out there. If not, then let the plan stay where it's been for years: in limbo.

The opinions are those of the columnist. He can be reached at mclark@nwitimes.com.