EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Advocates of the Interstate 69 extension are celebrating the start of construction with an invitation-only event at Evansville’s convention center.

Gov. Mitch Daniels is scheduled to give the keynote address for the event Wednesday.

The celebration was organized by Hoosier Voices for I-69, a group that lobbied for the road’s construction.

The 142-mile highway will link Indianapolis and Evansville. The first segment is being constructed in southwestern Indiana’s Gibson County.

Protesters have attempted to disrupt the highway’s construction. About a dozen protesters blocked the entrance to an asphalt plant on Monday and two tree-sitters were arrested last month when they refused to leave a wooded area along the planned route.