Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Kosciusko County gave the go-ahead to install crossing gates at two more railroad crossings, including one where two motorists died nearly three years ago.
Crossing gates and lights will be installed at crossings on County Farm Road south of CR 700 and on CR 600W south of Ind. 25 near Palestine.
Support for the improvements was passed Tuesday by the county commissioners and is consistent with efforts in recent years to improve dangerous railroad crossings. Improvements have been made to about six crossings in the county.
The CR 600W crossing was the site of a double fatality in August 1994 when a young couple were killed while attempting to cross the tracks in a pickup truck late one afternoon.
The crossing is considered dangerous because the lack of visibility. Trees that inhibited the view of oncoming trains prior to the fatality have been cleared.
The county will pay 10 percent of the costs of the two projects, while the remaining share will be picked up by the federal government.
County highway department spokesman Matt Winger said he was unsure how soon construction would begin, noting that approval was still required by the county council and the state.
The county's total combined share for the two crossings will be $39,000.
"Those two are probably two of the worst in the southern part of the county," Winger said.
In other matters, the county awarded a consulting project to Congdon Engineers for the CR 900N road project near Maple Leaf Farms. Officials hope to complete the improvements to the road this summer. If the project remains on schedule, construction could begin in September.
The project is the first under the newly established TIF (tax increment financing) program overseen by the county. The road project will be financed with tax revenues from capital improvements at Maple Leaf.
A public hearing for the TIF project is set for 5 p.m. May 21 in the courthouse meeting room.
