CHARLESTON - Coles County officials filed a lawsuit Monday seeking the land they said is needed for the road to the county's newest Interstate 57 interchange.

The eminent domain lawsuit was filed against Freda Christen of Mattoon and her son, Tom Donnell of rural Humboldt. They are listed as owners of the land along County Road 1000N near Loxa Road, the last piece of property county official say is needed to eventually complete the road.

Negotiations between the county and the owners haven't led to an agreed-upon selling price, the lawsuit says. The Coles County Board authorized the legal proceedings in July after county Engineer Rick Johnson reported the two parties were "far apart" after about three years of negotiations.

How much the county has offered for the land and how much the owners are seeking haven't been revealed publicly.

When contacted Monday, Christen and Donnell both declined to comment and referred questions to Mattoon attorney David Nelson, whom they said is representing them on the matter. Attempts to contact Nelson weren't successful.

The interchange is located about two miles north of the one at Illinois 16. The access road, called County Highway 18, is open to the west, connecting the interstate to Illinois 121 and industrial areas north of Mattoon.

Earlier this year, the county secured the needed federal money to widen and otherwise improve the road east of the interchange, where it's eventually supposed to connect with Illinois 130 north of Charleston.

There are no court dates scheduled for the lawsuit yet.

If the suit goes to trial, a judge or jury could force Christen to sell the property for what's decided as a fair price if the county shows a legitimate need to have the land. The lawsuit asks for "just compensation" for the land to be determined and the county to be granted title to it.

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