More than 50 residents on or near CR 350W attended the Kosciusko County Commissioners meeting Tuesday to discuss the proposed road project.

Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson led the discussion. He provided the crowd with copies on what the project will entail and when it may begin.

"At this point," said Ladson, "there's not a whole lot known about this project and about what will happen." He said nothing has been approved except to pursue it.

For several years, the county has had $3.92 million in federal funds for the project, secured before Ladson was hired. The money was set, in 1995, for the county to eventually link CR 350W with Ind. 25 and then extend it to Ind. 15, essentially creating a bypass around the west side of Warsaw, linking U.S. 30 and Ind. 15. The project, however, was put on hold until the commissioners revived it in December.

The project includes an upgrade of CR 350W to U.S. 30; construction of a new road and bridge over Tippecanoe River; and construction of a new road from Park Schramm Road to Crystal Lake Road.

According to Ladson, the commissioners, at their last meeting, reaffirmed proceeding with the project "in all three phases and with the use of federal aid." The aid will cover 80 percent of the construction cost but none of the engineering and right of way acquisition cost. Since federal funds will be used, federal guidelines must be followed.

Ladson said, his information is just a proposal and is subject to change.

Phase I could begin between 2003 and 2005 and construction could take six months to a year. The existing pavement of CR 350W would be widened from 10-foot lanes to 12-foot lanes. There are no plans for four-lane roads. Other work would include installing shoulders, curbs and gutters; relocating utility poles; lowering a hill; and installing a right-turn lane at the intersection of Old U.S. 30 and CR 350W. Approximately 13.5 feet on both sides of the road right of way may be purchased to expand the existing right of way, and there are no plans to demolish any homes, Ladson said.

Construction for phase II of the proposed project could begin between 2005 and 2008. A new bridge across Tippecanoe River will be installed and the existing historic bridge will be relocated to the east.

Between 2010 and 2015, construction could begin on phase three. A new road would be constructed from CR 100N to Crystal Lake Road and CR 400N would be improved.

Ladson said phases two and three are a long way off.

He said he knows CR 350W is a route for trucks going to Zimmer, R.R. Donnelley and Sons and other businesses, and that if the road is improved, there will be more traffic. "Those trucks are not going to stop coming because we don't upgrade the roads," he said. However, he said, the county needs to think ahead and do something now instead of waiting until they have to do something.

Some people may have concerns that the project will require the county to demolish their homes. Ladson said there were never any plans to do that, though some road rights of way will need to be purchased. For the county to purchase any property, there is a process involved, he said, which includes appraisers and negotiations.

As for condemnation, Ladson said, "This board (of commissioners) has repeatedly said they don't want to do that."

Mike Miner, attorney for the commissioners, said if it came to condemnation, a jury would listen to all appraisers of the property in question and make a decision on the value of the property.

Residents in the crowd asked why CR 350W was chose for the bypass. A study, Ladson said, was done several years ago on a transportation plan for the county. The plan targeted CR 350W for a bypass for several reasons, including the proximity to the industrial park area and the amount of traffic.

Several residents said the heavy truck traffic should not be on CR 350W in the first place. Area resident Jeff Bridge said he tells truck drivers where Donnelley is so often, "I should get a paycheck from Donnelley's."

Bridge also said he thought there was a conflict of interest with the road: Creighton Brothers, which is in the area, and newly-elected county commissioner Ron Truex, who is general manager of Creighton Brothers. "There's a conflict of interest in this whole thing," Bridge said.

Since the construction of the CR 350W project cannot begin for a few years, Ladson said, the county can save some of the monies to pay their share of the project that the federal aid money does not cover. Money for the highway department and road projects is funded through gasoline taxes only; no property taxes are received for the roads.

A woman asked if other county roads, including CR 500, were considered for the bypass instead of 350W. She said those roads have fewer houses. She also suggested CR 500 may not have been considered because Creighton Brothers was in that area and may not have wanted it.

Miner said the study of the road was performed by a firm outside the county and "it had nothing to do with Creighton Brothers."

Truex said he only recently began hearing about the project and only recently learned of it when he began receiving phone calls last week. He does not know who, if anyone, former county commissioner Eddie Creighton may have talked to about the project. Truex replaced Creighton as county commissioner and at Creighton Brothers.

He said, "My interest and Creighton Brother's interest is not where I see a conflict."

Other county roads will be looked into, commissioner president Brad Jackson said.

Bridge asked why the county wanted to displace residents who have lived in the area for more than 20 years for new industries and the new people who will move into the area. He said not only will new industry be in the area, but Warsaw Community Schools is looking at building a new school along CR 350W.

More meetings will be held, Ladson said, once the county has more information. [[In-content Ad]]