Commissioners Approve Ind. 15 Bypass Route
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Tuesday, the Kosciusko County Commissioners unanimously approved the route of the Ind. 15 bypass, also known as the Western Alternative Route Corridor.
At their July 13 meeting, the commissioners tentatively approved the route, pending The Troyer Group's "approval" that the proposed route was possible. Tuesday, representatives of The Troyer Group said they reviewed the commissioners' recommendation for the corridor and found it could work and they "wholeheartedly" support it.
The corridor (see map) begins near CR 400S and travels southwest of Goose Lake to approximately CR 350W, give or take a quarter of a mile. The proposed corridor would travel north until approximately Crystal Lake Road, and then travel north along CR 300W, crossing U.S. 30 at the closed rest park. In the area of CRs 450N to 500N, it would travel east to Ind. 15. As many back property fence lines as possible will be used. The proposed corridor then goes north on Ind. 15, but before going through Milford, it turns northwest to CR 17 in Elkhart County. The last part of the bypass will be quite a way down the road timewise.
Ron Truex, middle district county commissioner, said the corridor has been studied the past three years and the commissioners received a lot of input about it. While the commissioners have approved a route for the corridor, the precise route is still unknown until the engineers can determine it, but now property owners have an idea of where it may be. A lot of work is still ahead.
"We're at step one of five or six," Truex said.
Northern district commissioner Brad Jackson said everything will be done to avoid the bypass going through areas where houses now stand.
"Roads are not straight," said Truex, "and this road is not straight." Safety will be the first consideration, and overpasses will be used when feasible.
Chris Garza, county resident, asked, since the corridor still comes out at the abandoned rest area, if CR 350W and Fox Farm Road will become dead ends.
Truex said the commissioners were told that the state probably won't allow three intersections in a half-mile so they may be closed but nothing at this point is definite.
As for the residents of Milford who were concerned about Ind. 15 bypassing the town, Jackson said that part of the corridor is far in the future, but it is a possibility. Engineers will determine where the route travels.
Asked about a timeline for the project, Truex said the commissioners are looking at several stages for the project based on availability of funds. The project could have four to six sections over the next 30 years.
In other business, the commissioners:
• Heard from Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine that Sgt. Chris McKeand will be honored as the County Police Officer of the Year Sunday by the Indiana Sheriffs' Association. Rovenstine said McKeand may be the first Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department officer to receive the award.
• Approved to reject all bids for the Flagstone Terrace drainage and paving project and to rebid the project Aug. 10, as recommended by Kosciusko County Highway Department Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson. The bids came in with problems, including one that did not have a bid bond.
• Approved the bridge replacement plan for the bridge on Cedar Point Drive on the east side of Lake Wawasee. The bridge project may start after Labor Day but if not then, the project could be put on hold until spring or fall 2005, according to Ladson. The bridge is the only access to an island, and by waiting until after Labor Day, it is hoped most of the summer residents will be gone.
• Approved a change order for the Bridge 226 improvement project, across from the Warsaw Wastewater Treatment Plant, totaling approximately $2,638. Ladson recommended the changes.
• Decided not to make the intersection of Packerton Road and CR 225S a four-way stop as requested by the Town of Packerton.
• Decided not to make the intersection of CRs 250N and 100E a multi-way stop.
Kosciusko County Commissioners are Avis Gunter, southern district; Ron Truex, middle district; and Brad Jackson, northern district. They meet every other Tuesday in the county courthouse at 9 a.m. [[In-content Ad]]
Tuesday, the Kosciusko County Commissioners unanimously approved the route of the Ind. 15 bypass, also known as the Western Alternative Route Corridor.
At their July 13 meeting, the commissioners tentatively approved the route, pending The Troyer Group's "approval" that the proposed route was possible. Tuesday, representatives of The Troyer Group said they reviewed the commissioners' recommendation for the corridor and found it could work and they "wholeheartedly" support it.
The corridor (see map) begins near CR 400S and travels southwest of Goose Lake to approximately CR 350W, give or take a quarter of a mile. The proposed corridor would travel north until approximately Crystal Lake Road, and then travel north along CR 300W, crossing U.S. 30 at the closed rest park. In the area of CRs 450N to 500N, it would travel east to Ind. 15. As many back property fence lines as possible will be used. The proposed corridor then goes north on Ind. 15, but before going through Milford, it turns northwest to CR 17 in Elkhart County. The last part of the bypass will be quite a way down the road timewise.
Ron Truex, middle district county commissioner, said the corridor has been studied the past three years and the commissioners received a lot of input about it. While the commissioners have approved a route for the corridor, the precise route is still unknown until the engineers can determine it, but now property owners have an idea of where it may be. A lot of work is still ahead.
"We're at step one of five or six," Truex said.
Northern district commissioner Brad Jackson said everything will be done to avoid the bypass going through areas where houses now stand.
"Roads are not straight," said Truex, "and this road is not straight." Safety will be the first consideration, and overpasses will be used when feasible.
Chris Garza, county resident, asked, since the corridor still comes out at the abandoned rest area, if CR 350W and Fox Farm Road will become dead ends.
Truex said the commissioners were told that the state probably won't allow three intersections in a half-mile so they may be closed but nothing at this point is definite.
As for the residents of Milford who were concerned about Ind. 15 bypassing the town, Jackson said that part of the corridor is far in the future, but it is a possibility. Engineers will determine where the route travels.
Asked about a timeline for the project, Truex said the commissioners are looking at several stages for the project based on availability of funds. The project could have four to six sections over the next 30 years.
In other business, the commissioners:
• Heard from Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine that Sgt. Chris McKeand will be honored as the County Police Officer of the Year Sunday by the Indiana Sheriffs' Association. Rovenstine said McKeand may be the first Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department officer to receive the award.
• Approved to reject all bids for the Flagstone Terrace drainage and paving project and to rebid the project Aug. 10, as recommended by Kosciusko County Highway Department Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson. The bids came in with problems, including one that did not have a bid bond.
• Approved the bridge replacement plan for the bridge on Cedar Point Drive on the east side of Lake Wawasee. The bridge project may start after Labor Day but if not then, the project could be put on hold until spring or fall 2005, according to Ladson. The bridge is the only access to an island, and by waiting until after Labor Day, it is hoped most of the summer residents will be gone.
• Approved a change order for the Bridge 226 improvement project, across from the Warsaw Wastewater Treatment Plant, totaling approximately $2,638. Ladson recommended the changes.
• Decided not to make the intersection of Packerton Road and CR 225S a four-way stop as requested by the Town of Packerton.
• Decided not to make the intersection of CRs 250N and 100E a multi-way stop.
Kosciusko County Commissioners are Avis Gunter, southern district; Ron Truex, middle district; and Brad Jackson, northern district. They meet every other Tuesday in the county courthouse at 9 a.m. [[In-content Ad]]