Syracuse Council Hears Concerns over State's Bridge Proposal
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Kathy [email protected]
While wrapping up budgets and finances for 2013, they got a glimpse of what might be in store for 2014.
Blake Doriot, Elkhart County surveyor, spoke to the council about his department’s concern over the proposed bridge project drawn up by the Indiana Department of Transportation. The bridge planned for construction in August 2016 would extend CR29, North Huntington Street out of Syracuse, across U.S. 6. There would be no entrance to or exit off the bridge onto the state highway.
“It’s a poorly aligned intersection, but the bridge is a bad idea,” he told council. He said it is not needed and people in his county do not want it.
Doriot explained the state has access to federal funds which can be used for this bridge. Indiana would pay 20 percent, while 80 percent would come from the feds.
“The feds want a bridge built, so let’s build a bridge,” he said sarcastically. The county thinks cross-access is a necessary thing, he continued, and is trying to drum up support for an easier solution to this traffic problem.
Town Manager Henry DeJulia expressed concern that this bridge would just divert problems to other intersections, such as CR 127 or the even more problematic Ind. 13 and U.S. 6 crossing, and councilman Larry Siegel asked if any local representatives were contacted.
Doriot presented a letter signed by Elkhart County officials which will be sent to Gov. Mike Pence, Speaker of the House Brian Bosma, Senate Pro Tem David Long and other representatives at the state house asking them to reconsider the project.
“So far our concerns have fallen on deaf ears,” Doriot added, “and after 21 years in office, I found you have to get tough.”
Doriot wants Syracuse officials to get on board with him and contact state officials themselves or at least sign his letter. After discussion, council gave councilwoman Kathy Beer the task of drawing up their own letter which will be sent before the legislature returns to session Jan. 6.
Another impassioned request was made by about a dozen Wawasee Heights residents who asked the council for financial help in repairing their entrance signs. Jonathan Mishler, spokesman of the group, explained the signs, put up by the subdivision’s developer many years ago, are in need of masonry repairs and lights. He estimates the costs between $4,000 and $5,000.
He asked council to contribute since the town owned the property on which the signs sit. Attorney Vern Landis contradicted this, however, and stated that the property was actually only an easement and the town owned none of it.
In order to avoid setting an precedent on paying on such items, the council declined the request and suggested the residents create a property owners association to raise funds.
Another residential area is getting a new stop sign. Roadwork at the Oakwood area has resulted in the closing of most of Line Street and the opening of Lakeview, which will now be a north-south through street. The stop sign will be at the intersection of that with the east-west Palm Drive.
In other business the council:
• Held the first public hearing on tax abatements for Polywood, which drew no comments.
• Approved the $85,000 purchase of a Ring-O-Matic truck-mounted vacuum excavator which will be used by the public works department.
• Approved a $249,802.26 bid for rebuilding a fire truck, or “mobile fire station.”
• Appointed Brian Woody next year’s council president; appointed Tony Ciriello police chief; retained Wood and Bill Musser as fire department representatives, and Siegel, Paul Stoelting, Dave VanLue and Ernie Rogers representatives to the Syracuse Redevelopment Commission; appointed Heidi Heinisch to the library board; appointed Jeff Nicodemus and Mary Hursh to the park board, and Jerry Riffle and Jeremy Sponseller to the tree board.[[In-content Ad]]
While wrapping up budgets and finances for 2013, they got a glimpse of what might be in store for 2014.
Blake Doriot, Elkhart County surveyor, spoke to the council about his department’s concern over the proposed bridge project drawn up by the Indiana Department of Transportation. The bridge planned for construction in August 2016 would extend CR29, North Huntington Street out of Syracuse, across U.S. 6. There would be no entrance to or exit off the bridge onto the state highway.
“It’s a poorly aligned intersection, but the bridge is a bad idea,” he told council. He said it is not needed and people in his county do not want it.
Doriot explained the state has access to federal funds which can be used for this bridge. Indiana would pay 20 percent, while 80 percent would come from the feds.
“The feds want a bridge built, so let’s build a bridge,” he said sarcastically. The county thinks cross-access is a necessary thing, he continued, and is trying to drum up support for an easier solution to this traffic problem.
Town Manager Henry DeJulia expressed concern that this bridge would just divert problems to other intersections, such as CR 127 or the even more problematic Ind. 13 and U.S. 6 crossing, and councilman Larry Siegel asked if any local representatives were contacted.
Doriot presented a letter signed by Elkhart County officials which will be sent to Gov. Mike Pence, Speaker of the House Brian Bosma, Senate Pro Tem David Long and other representatives at the state house asking them to reconsider the project.
“So far our concerns have fallen on deaf ears,” Doriot added, “and after 21 years in office, I found you have to get tough.”
Doriot wants Syracuse officials to get on board with him and contact state officials themselves or at least sign his letter. After discussion, council gave councilwoman Kathy Beer the task of drawing up their own letter which will be sent before the legislature returns to session Jan. 6.
Another impassioned request was made by about a dozen Wawasee Heights residents who asked the council for financial help in repairing their entrance signs. Jonathan Mishler, spokesman of the group, explained the signs, put up by the subdivision’s developer many years ago, are in need of masonry repairs and lights. He estimates the costs between $4,000 and $5,000.
He asked council to contribute since the town owned the property on which the signs sit. Attorney Vern Landis contradicted this, however, and stated that the property was actually only an easement and the town owned none of it.
In order to avoid setting an precedent on paying on such items, the council declined the request and suggested the residents create a property owners association to raise funds.
Another residential area is getting a new stop sign. Roadwork at the Oakwood area has resulted in the closing of most of Line Street and the opening of Lakeview, which will now be a north-south through street. The stop sign will be at the intersection of that with the east-west Palm Drive.
In other business the council:
• Held the first public hearing on tax abatements for Polywood, which drew no comments.
• Approved the $85,000 purchase of a Ring-O-Matic truck-mounted vacuum excavator which will be used by the public works department.
• Approved a $249,802.26 bid for rebuilding a fire truck, or “mobile fire station.”
• Appointed Brian Woody next year’s council president; appointed Tony Ciriello police chief; retained Wood and Bill Musser as fire department representatives, and Siegel, Paul Stoelting, Dave VanLue and Ernie Rogers representatives to the Syracuse Redevelopment Commission; appointed Heidi Heinisch to the library board; appointed Jeff Nicodemus and Mary Hursh to the park board, and Jerry Riffle and Jeremy Sponseller to the tree board.[[In-content Ad]]
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