One longtime I-69 opponent, however, said he may file a complaint with Indiana State Police over the treatment he said he received during a March 10 visit to Gibson County to photograph the contractor’s work preparing homes for demolition.

Thomas Tokarski, a member of Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads, said he just wanted to collect photo evidence because he wants the public to know that the entire highway will require demolition of about 400 homes.

He said he was standing on a road near I-64 when a trooper stopped and asked him what he was doing. Tokarski said he was questioned inside the trooper’s squad car and the trooper then searched his car.

“I was just taking pictures, pictures they don’t want us to take because they don’t want people to see the real damage that’s happening because of I-69,” he said.

State Police spokesman Sgt. Todd Ringle said Tokarski agreed to enter the trooper’s squad car for questioning and also consented to allowing his car to be searched.

“He was told he was not doing anything wrong. He agreed to get into the car and they talked for a while and then Mr. Tokarski got out of the car and left. At no point was he handcuffed or ordered inside the car,” Ringle said.

The state currently has about $700 million set aside for the highway. Dietrick said that should be enough to build the highway from Evansville to the Crane Naval Warfare Center about 25 miles southwest of Bloomington.