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Making Dubois Drive a one-way street westbound from Parker Street to Provident Drive is yet to be decided.
The Warsaw City Council tabled an ordinance for the second time that would allow Dubois Drive to become a one-way street at its meeting Monday night.
The council previously discussed the traffic recommendations from the Warsaw Traffic Commission during its Nov. 6 meeting and tabled the request to make Dubois Drive one way.
The Warsaw Traffic Commission reviewed a traffic impact analysis prepared by A&F Engineering regarding making Dubois Drive one way at its Nov. 2 meeting. The commission approved submitting the traffic recommendations during the meeting to the city council for approval.
Mayor Ernie Wiggins and council members Joe Thallemer and Jeff Grose suggested during the Nov. 6 city council meeting that the traffic commission discuss the proposal with residents who would be affected by making the street one way.
Making Dubois Drive one way could impact motor vehicle traffic traveling primarily on Brookview Drive and Sally Street in Meadowbrook Addition. More than 40 Meadowbrook residents attended a neighborhood meeting Thursday to provide input on making Dubois Drive a one-way street.
City Council member Joe Thallemer suggested during Monday's meeting that city council members meet with Indiana Department of Transportation representatives to discuss alternatives before deciding if the street should become one way.
"We do not want to ignore the safety of citizens who would be affected by making Dubois Drive one way, but we want to come up with the best possible plan for the dangerous intersection," Thallemer said.
The council voted unanimously to speak with INDOT regarding alternatives to making Dubois Drive one way before deciding whether or not to make the street one way.
The proposed project includes making Dubois Drive one way west from Parker Street to Provident Drive, providing three lanes for northbound traffic at Parker Street, including a right-hand through, left-hand through, and through lane, and removing lane restrictions at the Parker Street entrance and BP station.
During the Nov. 16 neighborhood meeting, the majority of residents who attended the meeting were opposed to making Dubois Drive a one-way street, but supported closing off Brookview Drive as an alternative.
"It seemed from the consensus of the meeting that residents supported closing off Brookview Drive and we should allow them to speak with one another and agree that would be an option that would work for them," Thallemer said during Monday night's meeting.
Grose agreed the neighborhood's opinions should be considered before deciding to make Dubois Drive a one-way street.
"I think we got a clear message from the residents that making Dubois Drive one way is not the answer and we need to protect the addition," Grose said.
Bruce Woodward attended Monday's meeting and voiced his concerns with making Dubois Drive one way.
"We need to work out a long-term solution keeping in the mind the safety of our schools, subdivisions and apartments," Woodward said.
"If we make Dubois Drive a one-way street without a long-term plan for the area we are doing a disservice to citizens in the future."
He suggested creating an overpass over U.S. 30 that would allow traffic on Husky Trail to access the highway and Dubois Drive.
If making Dubois Drive one way is approved, construction would not begin until the Argonne-Parker Street project is completed, according to City Planner Jeremy Skinner.
Skinner said approving making Dubois Drive one way now would allow for INDOT to fund the project, but if they wait until a later date, INDOT may not fund the project.
If making Dubois Drive one way was approved, plans would need to be submitted to INDOT for review, bids would need to be sent out and a contractor would need to be selected.
The city council approved an ordinance and resolution at its Nov. 6 meeting to allow trained archers to hunt in declared nuisance zones in Warsaw.
The deer zones include the entire area around Spring Hill, Kosciusko Community Hospital and U.S. 30.
The council also received a letter from Lori Masapollo, manager of corporate affairs for Comcast, informing city council members about products and services available.
The city council also received an activity report for October from the Warsaw Fire Department that included 91 responses.
The council also approved an ordinance transferring $4,500 from improvements other than buildings to repairs and maintenance.
The council received a letter from Bill Cupp, Lake City Properties LLC, requesting sewage payment adjustments. The letter states water consumption increases in the summer due to air conditioning system and the large amount of water that is evaporated into the air from evaporative cooling towers. The letter requested not basing sewage usage on water consumption since a large portion of the water is evaporated into the air in the months that the air conditioning is running and the water in not going down the sewer.
Wiggins also presented a letter from H.J. Umbaugh & Associates to council members regarding responses from questions asked by Winona Lake Clerk-Treasurer Retha Hicks regarding the town's sewer rates.
Wiggins said the city council will discuss sewer rates at its December meeting.
The Warsaw City Council will meet again Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. at city hall.
