WINONA LAKE - The needs are extension of sanitary sewer service to South Town Estates and rerouting of traffic around the Park Avenue-Argonne Road-Winona Avenue intersection.

The object is a five-year master plan to help meet those needs. Tuesday, the Winona Lake Plan Commission started the process of developing that document.

In addressing both needs, the commission is looking at construction of a road between Boys City Drive and Roy Street and will use the right of way for both the road and the sanitary sewer line. The preliminary discussions also include widening CR 250 between Packerton Road and the Conrail railroad line.

"We want to at least get a start on the project - sewer to South Town - before we start constructing a road," said Mark Workman, commission member. "Depending on the cost, we may have to do it in stages."

Larry Long, town engineer, said it may be more feasible to divide the project into two or three stages due to state requirements on sanitary sewer design.

"The main starting point is getting an easement through there and then following the design of the street," Long said.

Town council president Brent Wilcoxson said that at the current construction rate for sanitary sewers of approximately $30 per linear foot, detailed discussions need to be conducted with South Town residents before any project is started to ensure residents will be willing to financially support it.

"We need to get some good conversations going with the people of South Town to make sure they want to spend $10,000 to $20,000 apiece to get sewers in," he said. "We don't want to get into another situation like we did on Robson Road."

The town recently delayed opening bids for the construction contract on extending sewers to that area of town after the residents balked after the $6,500 cost to each property owner was disclosed.

The commission directed Long to begin gathering the cost estimates for both the South Town and CR 250E projects. [[In-content Ad]]