Indiana Department of Transportation has selected three railroad crossings in Warsaw for safety upgrades. Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer made the announcement during Friday’s Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety meeting. The Market Street, Winona Avenue and Pope Street railroad crossings at the Norfolk and Southern railroad tracks have been selected. Currently, those railroad crossings are active crossings with flashing lights. It is anticipated that the crossings will be re-engineered with gates. INDOT has appropriated just less than $1 million for the improvements from Section 130 program funds. There will be no local match required by the city for funding. INDOT will work directly with Norfolk and Southern to engineer and construct the improvements. Engineering is slated to begin this year, and the construction should be completed in late 2014 or early 2015, according to the schedule released by INDOT. Also during Friday’s meeting, the board approved Warsaw-Wayne Township Fire Territory accepting a $1,000 grant for Play It Safe Family Safety Day from Kosciusko County Community Foundation. The board approved an agreement for appraisal services for Warsaw Technology Park for 91 acres west of Ivy Tech’s property at the northeast corner of U.S. 30 and CR 200W. The board approved a $16,600.40 payment to A & Z Engineering for Husky Trail improvements and a $9,625 payment to the company for preliminary engineering and right of way services. The board approved a $1,500 change order for architectural services on the plaza wall and restroom project near the new city hall. The original contract did not have construction oversight services as one of the services the city contracted with Scearce-Rudisel Architects. The board approved a $52,962.93 payment to DT Construction Services, Silver Lake, for work done on the plaza wall and restroom project. The board approved a $284,445 payment to Harold McComb & Sons Inc. for renovations to the third floor of the new city hall that OrthoWorx will use for office space. The board opened four bids for demolition of the wastewater treatment plant. The bids will be taken under advisement and reviewed again at the Sept. 6 meeting. The board also reviewed two bids for storm sewer lining at the Fort Wayne and Main streets area. The bids will be reviewed again at the Sept. 6 meeting. The board approved the parks department trading in a 2008 mower and purchasing a mower from Hoffman Outdoor & Power Equipment, Columbia City, for $5,218.88. Thallemer voted against the request as he felt the city should consider the local quote from More’s Farm Store, Warsaw.
