The biggest rumblings I've heard have come from the Bloomington area...though admittedly, I haven't been following all of it too closely. As a relatively unschooled observer, it seems to me that by making Indy more accessible to the SE part of the state, it's likely to create an influx of people in that direction. So I wonder if the protests are, at the root, a case of regional NIMBY-ism.
Having grown up in southern Indiana, I'd have to say that the Bloomington/Nashville areas are some of the most scenic in this rather un-scenic state. Plus those communities and others in the area have a unique character, ranging from artsy-liberal to antiquey-country, with bluegrass, art and harvest festivals. Put that within commuting distance to Indy....people are going to want to locate homes - and eventually - businesses there.