EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The planned Interstate 69 extension through southwestern Indiana would pass near the cities of Bloomington and Washington under a route announced Thursday by Gov. Frank O'Bannon.

PROPOSED I-69 ROUTES See Selected Route Watch O'Bannon's Announcement O'Bannon On Route's Benefits Approve Of Decision? Your Thoughts: Right Choice? Potential Costs, Benefits Proposed Extension Routes Official Web Site Hoosier Environmental Council

The route selection follows years of discussion and debate over plans for an interstate highway between Indianapolis and Evansville, the state's third-largest city.

The proposed route must next be considered by the Federal Highway Administration -- and will likely face continued opposition and possible lawsuits by environmentalists before construction begins.

The selected route was among the five finalist routes released by state highway officials in July. O'Bannon said one of its advantages is that is provides access to Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center.

The route takes the Indiana 37 corridor from Indianapolis south past Martinsville and Bloomington, then southwest to near Washington and then roughly follows Indiana 57 to Interstate 64 north of Evansville.

O'Bannon (pictured, below) said he understood many people in the Bloomington area had mixed feelings about a route passing near the city.

"But we must work together with all in Bloomington and all in southwest Indiana to ensure that our quality of life is preserved while strengthening the economic base of our state and with the quality-of-life assets the Bloomington area has to offer," O'Bannon said.

O'Bannon made the announcement to a room full of mostly cheering supporters, but he was heckled by some people -- one who yelled the governor was a liar. A handful of opponents carried signs saying "Stop New Terrain I-69."

Indiana Transportation Commissioner J. Bryan Nicol predicted it would take from eight to 14 years before the highway was complete, but he stopped short of setting a groundbreaking date.

It will likely take six to nine months to obtain approval from the Federal Highway Administration to begin work, Nicol said. The state will then begin acquiring land and building the roadway, he said.

The list of route finalists attracted much criticism since it did not include a corridor backed by environmentalists that followed the four-lane U.S. 41 north from Evansville to Terre Haute and then east to Indianapolis on I-70.

"We are deeply disappointed," Bert Williams, chairman of the I-70/U.S. 41 Task Force, said Thursday. "This route will cost hundreds of millions dollars more. This is money that will be robbed from the road projects of your communities, so the next time your car hits a pothole, thank the governor."

Evansville Mayor Russell Lloyd Jr., however, praised the route selection as a boost for his city.

"It was a long wait, but I think touchdown for Evansville," Lloyd said. "It's a great opportunity for us."

The I-69 extension is part of the planned "NAFTA Superhighway" that would cross through eight states to link Canada and Mexico.

Civic leaders in Evansville have pushed for the construction of a direct route to Indianapolis, saying any damage to forests, farm and wetlands would be balanced by safer roads and more economic development.

Many opponents from the Bloomington and Terre Haute areas, however, have said the travel time saved was not worth the environmental damage and questioned how many jobs the highway would attract.

O'Bannon said he was sorry that some Terre Haute residents would be disappointed that the route wouldn't go there, but he said the city has been fortunate to have close access to I-70 for many years noted that plans called for it to be widened to six lanes in upcoming years.

State officials have estimated that the chosen route would cost about $1.7 billion to build and save about 23 minutes in travel time between Evansville and Indianapolis

The U.S. 41/I-70 route, meanwhile, would cost an estimated $810 million to $1.04 billion -- less than the cheapest of the five finalists -- while cutting travel time between the two cities by 12 minutes.

Federal officials have criticized the five route finalists, possibly giving a boost to opponents as they continue to fight the project.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Interior Department have both backed the U.S. 41/I-70 route, saying it would do the least amount of environmental damage and still meet the project's top aim of improving travel through southwestern Indiana.

Nicol said it will likely be the end of the year before the state's final environmental impact statement is complete.