The phrase appears prominently on the community’s website, property flyer, drone video, regional brochure and a newly installed entrance sign that provides no additional numerical guidance.
“It’s minutes,” said Economic Development Director Carla Jennings. “That’s the important thing.”
When asked whether the site was five minutes from the interstate, Jennings said the community prefers not to “get overly focused on specific travel assumptions.”
Asked whether it was 10 minutes, she smiled and said traffic conditions can vary.
Asked whether it was 25 minutes, she said the site offered “excellent regional connectivity.”
The property is located along County Road 814, approximately 17 miles from the nearest interstate interchange, although officials emphasized that much of the drive is “very pleasant.”
“There are no major urban congestion issues,” Jennings said. “You’re moving the entire time.”
Marketing materials describe the route as direct, though the journey currently requires three turns, one railroad crossing, a brief stretch through downtown and approximately four minutes behind a tractor during planting season.
Consultants working with the community said the phrase “minutes from the interstate” was selected after several alternatives were considered.
“We looked at ‘near the interstate,’ but that felt subjective,” said marketing consultant Rebecca Sloan. “Then we looked at ‘convenient interstate access,’ which was good, but everyone agreed that ‘minutes from’ sounded faster.”
Sloan declined to say how many minutes she personally experienced during the drive.
“I wasn’t timing it,” she said.
Site selectors have reportedly begun noticing the lack of specificity.
One consultant recently requested drive-time data during an introductory call, prompting officials to immediately begin discussing the region’s workforce.
Another asked whether a truck could reach the interstate in under 15 minutes.
“That depends on the truck,” Jennings responded.
Officials maintain that there is nothing misleading about the claim.
“Every site is minutes from something,” said County Commissioner Robert Keene. “Technically, Chicago is minutes from here if you use enough minutes.”
Keene later clarified that he was speaking conceptually.
The community has invested heavily in improving the site’s transportation story, including a new turn lane, upgraded signage and a professional drone video in which the camera rises high enough for viewers to see what officials believe may be the interstate in the far distance.
“It really puts the connectivity in perspective,” Jennings said.
Local leaders have also commissioned a map showing the property in relation to major markets. The map uses a large red star for the site and unusually small state boundaries.
“The site looks very close to everything on that map,” Keene said.
Officials said several prospects have toured the property and generally reacted positively to the drive.
“One executive said, ‘This is farther out than I expected,’” Jennings recalled. “We took that as a sign that he had arrived with expectations, which is always encouraging.”
The community is now considering whether to strengthen its marketing language further.
Potential alternatives under review include “strategically positioned near interstate access,” “within easy reach of the interstate” and “interstate-connected.”
One proposed phrase, “12 minutes from the interstate,” was removed from consideration after staff members conducted a test drive.
At press time, officials confirmed the site remained just minutes from the interstate.
They again declined to specify how many.
