ive ▁the ▁extension ▁to ▁K alk aska ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁proposal ▁was ▁ultimately ▁abandoned ▁when ▁the ▁year ' s ▁transport ation ▁plan ▁was ▁final ized . ▁A ▁bridge ▁replacement ▁project ▁over ▁the ▁Man iste e ▁River ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 – 1 0 ▁ens ured ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁further ▁consideration ▁by ▁MD OT ▁of ▁the ▁proposal . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁local ▁project ▁director , ▁" current ly , ▁the ▁department ▁has ▁no ▁plans ▁[ to ▁expand ▁the ▁fre ew ay ]. ▁Som ed ay ▁it ▁may ▁happen , ▁but ▁not ▁in ▁the ▁for ese e able ▁future ." ▁ ▁A ▁sou ther ly ▁extension ▁of ▁the ▁fre ew ay ▁to ▁or ▁near ▁the ▁Indiana ▁state ▁line ▁is ▁still ▁under ▁study . ▁Im prov ements ▁to ▁the ▁US   1 3 1 ▁cor rid or ▁from ▁Port age ▁to ▁the ▁Indiana ▁T oll ▁Road ▁have ▁been ▁under way ▁for ▁several ▁years ▁and ▁although ▁a ▁late - 2 0 0 5 ▁decision ▁by ▁MD OT ▁to ▁not ▁purs ue ▁a ▁new ▁controlled - access ▁route ▁through ▁St . ▁Joseph ▁County ▁seemed ▁to ▁terminate ▁the ▁discussion , ▁public ▁out c ry ▁and ▁back l ash ▁from ▁local ▁legisl ators ▁forced ▁the ▁department ▁to ▁re - evalu ate ▁its ▁decision . ▁State ▁House ▁Spe aker ▁Craig ▁De Ro che ▁was ▁critical ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁decision , ▁cit ing ▁the ▁economic ▁development ▁benefit ▁such ▁a ▁road ▁would ▁bring ▁to ▁the ▁area ▁in ▁defense ▁of ▁the ▁proposed ▁fre ew ay . ▁The