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When the Kosciusko County Highway Department begins rehabilitation work on Bridge 95, the bridge will be shut down for approximately 90 days.
The bridge is on Old Road 30W over Tippecanoe River.
Tuesday, Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson presented the bridge plans to the county commissioners for their approval. He said he's coordinating the project with R.R. Donnelley & Sons, who said that while no time will be convenient for them, spring will be OK.
Ladson said he's received the permits for the project and was surprised at how fast he received the permits from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
The project is not a reconstruction. The deck will be removed from the structure, said Ladson, down to the beams, which will be repainted. Joints will be removed. A brand new concrete deck will be put on the bridge, "extending the life of the bridge for many years to come," said Ladson.
Traffic will be rerouted and while the work is in progress, Ladson said, it's not going to be the most convenient.
The timetable of the project will depend on funding, which also will depend on the bids received for the work. But Ladson said he hoped the work will be done in the spring.
In other business, the commissioners:
• Approved the bid from Good Hauling & Excavating for $48,179.50 for the small structure bridge project on Hickory Street over Turkey Creek in Syracuse. Good was the lowest bid. The engineer's estimate for the project was $58,823.
• Received two bids for the Bridge 6 project on Barbee Lake. The bids included Phend & Brown, $98,179.18, and NiBlock Excavating, $93,832.95. The engineer's estimate was $129,595.55.
• Announced the commissioners will host a reception honoring Ladson, who is leaving county employment April 1. The reception is March 31 from 2 to 4 p.m. on the third floor of the courthouse in the rotunda area. The public is invited.
• Denied the petition by Dr. Daniel and Pamela Oglesbee to vacate a 15-foot- wide easement on the west side of Waubee Lake, Milford.
• Approved the rezoning request by Julie Robinson to rezone 7.2 acres from an agricultural to a commercial district. The property is on the east side of Ind. 13 in Tippecanoe Township.
• Approved an ordinance amending the Kosciusko County zoning ordinance. The changes define and make as exceptions in an agricultural district: agricultural product, agricultural product processing and fertilizer sales, processing and storage.
• Heard from county auditor Sue Ann Mitchell she believes the tax billing will be out in time for a May 10 deadline.
• Approved April 10-16 as National County Government Week.
• Approved for WCDC to use the courthouse lawn in June.
Kosciusko County Commissioners are Avis Gunter, southern district; Ron Truex, middle district; and Brad Jackson, northern district. They meet at 9 a.m. in the county courthouse every other Tuesday.
