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The residents expressed concerns about the proposed route, saying it would destroy wetlands and force removal of homes and home-based businesses.
According to Jackson, "We had very good congenial dialogue - good input from the people. They understand the need but disagreed where. It was nice to see the people of the community were nice and polite with their comments though we didn't agree."
Main options for the bypass were presented, he said, which would include bypassing Milford to the west or widening Ind. 15 through the town and which was best for the community.
They discussed whether or not more traffic in town builds a community or if jobs build a community and if good infrastructure helps with the creation of jobs.
All present were encouraged to attend the June 29 county commissioners meeting, where the project will be presented by The Troyer Group, the project engineers, for commissioners' approval.
The route The Troyer Group will propose, according to project manager Steve Benczik, begins at the intersection of Ind. 15 and CR 300S. It then follows the northeast side of the overhead electric transmission lines northwest to approximately CR 100S. The proposed route then heads north parallel to CR 350W, crosses U.S. 30 at the abandoned rest stop and then briefly runs along CR 300W. It turns east along CR 400N and reconnects to Ind. 15.
The Troyer Group will recommend to the commissioners that the route then proceed north from the intersection of CR 400N and Ind. 15 along the abandoned interurban railroad lines on the east side of Ind. 15. Just south of Milford, the route then could turn west and line up with CR 200W, possibly connecting with CR 17 in Elkhart County.
The meeting, Jackson said, was a chance for misinformation to be corrected.
Milford Town Clerk Charlotte Siegfried also said the meeting went well.
"They (residents) had a lot of questions and I think their questions were answered intelligently."
She said Truex noted that even it the plan is adopted, the Milford phase wouldn't be implemented for 20 or 25 years. The first portion of the bypass, around Warsaw, is seven years away.
The commissioners urged the residents keep reading local newspapers and attending meetings to keep informed of developments.
adopted wont necesaryly be exactly where road will go. years away, keep reading newspapers attending meetings.
Siegfried believed the residents left the meeting feeling a relieved.
"I think they came away with a better understanding of the bypass proposal," Siegfried said.
