Syracuse OKs Ind. 13 Plan For 3 Lanes
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - Rather than get nothing for their money, Syracuse Town Council opted to move ahead with a scaled back plan to widen Ind. 13.
Council approved plans Tuesday to forge ahead with a portion of the original expansion project through the heart of the downtown business district.
Instead of progressing with the 1.6-mile stretch, the project will be limited to a five block area stretching from the CSX railroad tracks to a point past the Chicago Street intersection along Huntington Street (Ind. 13).
The town can keep alive the option of completing more of the project later, but that appears doubtful in the near future, given the general opposition to the original five-lane project.
The trimmed down project will cost about $880,000 and the town's total cost will be about $112,000.
The decision comes two weeks after engineer Mark Ortman, of Butler Fairman and Seufert, Inc., Indianapolis, advised the town it could avoid doing the entire project, earlier estimated at several million dollars.
Regardless what council decided, the town was already obligated to pay much of the engineering, which would have been at least $60,000.
Councilman William Cutter made it clear that the new proposal was the lesser of two evils.
"As far as I'm concerned, I'd like to get something for my money," said Cutter.
"I just can see throwing away all the time, money and effort that's been spent up to this point," Cutter said.
None of the council members spoke against the new plan.
The targeted area addresses the most congested portion of the road and the Chicago Street intersection, which is a major link to the high school and to industry.
The town is required to cover 10 percent of the project and must also pay for costs involving right of way acquisition and soil tests.
Councilman Bill Hane pressed Ortman for a guarantee that the new proposal would relieve the town of future commitments. Ortman said he wouldn't personally guarantee it, but said it had been stated to him that such a plan would fulfill the town's obligations.
Council instructed town manager Matt Vigneault and attorney Bob Reed to work with Ortman in acquiring the needed land. Ortman could not give an estimated cost for the acquisition, but held out hope that property owners would donate the land.
The expanded road would include three lanes and be reduced to two lanes south of Chicago Street.
Residents and business owners along the road had complained that a five-lane project was uncalled for and would detract from the existing small-town environment. [[In-content Ad]]
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SYRACUSE - Rather than get nothing for their money, Syracuse Town Council opted to move ahead with a scaled back plan to widen Ind. 13.
Council approved plans Tuesday to forge ahead with a portion of the original expansion project through the heart of the downtown business district.
Instead of progressing with the 1.6-mile stretch, the project will be limited to a five block area stretching from the CSX railroad tracks to a point past the Chicago Street intersection along Huntington Street (Ind. 13).
The town can keep alive the option of completing more of the project later, but that appears doubtful in the near future, given the general opposition to the original five-lane project.
The trimmed down project will cost about $880,000 and the town's total cost will be about $112,000.
The decision comes two weeks after engineer Mark Ortman, of Butler Fairman and Seufert, Inc., Indianapolis, advised the town it could avoid doing the entire project, earlier estimated at several million dollars.
Regardless what council decided, the town was already obligated to pay much of the engineering, which would have been at least $60,000.
Councilman William Cutter made it clear that the new proposal was the lesser of two evils.
"As far as I'm concerned, I'd like to get something for my money," said Cutter.
"I just can see throwing away all the time, money and effort that's been spent up to this point," Cutter said.
None of the council members spoke against the new plan.
The targeted area addresses the most congested portion of the road and the Chicago Street intersection, which is a major link to the high school and to industry.
The town is required to cover 10 percent of the project and must also pay for costs involving right of way acquisition and soil tests.
Councilman Bill Hane pressed Ortman for a guarantee that the new proposal would relieve the town of future commitments. Ortman said he wouldn't personally guarantee it, but said it had been stated to him that such a plan would fulfill the town's obligations.
Council instructed town manager Matt Vigneault and attorney Bob Reed to work with Ortman in acquiring the needed land. Ortman could not give an estimated cost for the acquisition, but held out hope that property owners would donate the land.
The expanded road would include three lanes and be reduced to two lanes south of Chicago Street.
Residents and business owners along the road had complained that a five-lane project was uncalled for and would detract from the existing small-town environment. [[In-content Ad]]