A new Public Policy Polling survey shows overwhelming opposition in Dubois County to the proposed Mid-States Corridor, with voters also signaling potential political consequences for local officials who back the project.
The poll, conducted Dec. 16–17, 2025, surveyed 636 registered voters in Dubois County. On the central question, 81% of respondents oppose the Mid-States Corridor, including 72% who say they “strongly oppose” it. Only 14% support the project.
The survey’s results suggest voters are weighing both the scale of the project and what they perceive as limited tangible benefits. Respondents were presented with a description of the Dubois County segment as roughly 23 miles with an estimated cost of about $1.1 billion—about $47 million per mile—along with arguments typically made by supporters, including improved access, safety upgrades, and modest travel-time savings.
On that last point, the poll tested specific claims that have circulated in planning discussions: savings of about one minute from downtown Jasper to Louisville and about three minutes to Indianapolis. By a wide margin, voters said that kind of time savings doesn’t move the needle. Eighty-two percent described the savings as “not important at all,” while fewer than one in 10 said they were very or somewhat important.
The poll also highlights a major local concern about who pays for what. Respondents were asked about a scenario in which, if the Mid-States Corridor is built, Dubois County, Jasper, and Huntingburg may be required to assume responsibility for maintaining U.S. 231—potentially shifting local tax dollars away from other needs. Voters rejected that idea decisively: 84% oppose using local tax dollars to maintain U.S. 231 in that scenario, including 78% who strongly oppose it.
Politically, the numbers point to a clear warning for officials who may be tempted to keep their positions vague. Seventy-seven percent of respondents said they would be less likely to vote for a local elected official who publicly supports the Mid-States Corridor, including 67% who said they would be “much less likely.” At the same time, 87% said local elected officials should clearly state where they stand on the project.
The Mid-States Corridor has been one of the most debated transportation proposals in southern Indiana for years, with supporters arguing it would strengthen regional connections and economic development, and opponents questioning the cost, impact, and necessity. The new poll suggests that in Dubois County, at least, the opposition is not only strong but also firm.
At the state level, Gov. Mike Braun has continued to support advancing major transportation initiatives, and INDOT’s ongoing planning work continues to treat Mid-States as an active, moving project rather than a shelved concept. That matters locally because, while the corridor’s footprint would be felt most directly in southern Indiana communities, key decisions about funding, prioritization, and continued study are driven at the state level.
Bottom line: the poll indicates Mid-States Corridor is not a close call in Dubois County. Voters are overwhelmingly opposed, they don’t see the promised travel-time gains as meaningful, they strongly resist potential cost shifts to local taxpayers, and they are prepared to hold public officials accountable for where they stand.
