Kosciusko Included In Plan To Strengthen North Central Indiana's Logistics Industry
Posted
Staff Report-
SOUTH BEND – The Conexus Indiana North Central Regional Logistics Council Wednesday released its regional logistics strategic plan that details long-term infrastructure, public policy and talent development priorities to grow the logistics industry and the economy in the seven-county region. The Indiana counties within the North Central region are: Cass, Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, Marshall, Miami and St. Joseph. According to a press release, NCRLC, created by Conexus Indiana in spring 2013, brought together 31 logistics executives and thought leaders from North Central Indiana into a partnership with regional economic groups and chambers of commerce to develop strategies, goals and tactics to maximize short- and long-term success for the logistics sector in the region. “We titled this document ‘Ensuring Connection to the World’ because the North Central region has a significant advantage with its central location, and with that comes opportunities to grow our economy and provide world-class freight movement,” John T. Phair, president and CEO of Holladay Properties and chair of the NCRLC, is quoted as saying in the release. “Ensuring Connection to the World focuses on our strengths and identifies our long-term infrastructure needs – the most important being the completion of U.S. 31 so we can maximize freight movement north and south. We believe following this plan will increase the number of logistics businesses choosing to relocate or expand in our region.” In developing Ensuring Connection to the World, council members identified 27 infrastructure projects, as well as public policy and workforce development opportunities. The plan identifies road, rail, air and waterborne infrastructure projects at the regional and local levels, prioritizes those projects and outlines projected costs. The infrastructure projects, once implemented, will decrease transportation bottlenecks, increase direct rail service, increase use of regional air facilities for freight, and improve mode-to-mode connectivity. Kosciusko County is included in the plan. • Project 4302: North Milford Truck Corridor – Extend CR 1300N from Old Ind. 15 to Ind. 15. The route will include a rail grade separation over the Norfolk Southern Railroad. The goal, according to the plan, is to relieve the bottleneck of combined truck and passenger car traffic through Milford, creating better truck traffic flow for the movement of cargo. Another goal is to create economic development by allowing access to the Milford North Industrial Park. The estimated cost is $11 million. • Project 4303: The Western Warsaw Bypass plan is to design and build road access from Ind. 15S to U.S. 30 West of Warsaw. The route will include a rail grade separation, bridge and interchange at U.S. 30. The reason is to relieve the bottleneck of combined truck and passenger car traffic through Warsaw, creating better truck traffic flow for the movement of cargo. Estimated Cost is $65.9 million. • Project 4304: Downtown Warsaw Rail Grade Separation – Design and build a rail grade separation at Lincoln Highway and South Hickory Street in Warsaw. The reason, according to the release, is to relieve the bottleneck of combined truck and passenger car traffic through Warsaw, creating better truck traffic flow for the movement of cargo. Estimated cost is $10 million. • Project 4306: Alternative Western Warsaw Truck Corridor – Improve and widen CR 700S from Ind. 19 to Ind. 15. This is to ensure the safety of trucks moving cargo creating better truck traffic flow for the movement of cargo. Estimated cost is $31.9 million. • Project 4307: Western Warsaw Truck Corridor – Improve and widen from U.S. 30 on North CR 150W to Fox Farm Road South to Lincoln Highway. The route will include a new interchange at U.S. 30. The reason is to relieve the bottleneck of combined truck and passenger car traffic through Warsaw, creating better truck traffic flow for the movement of cargo. These projects are reflected in other sections of this report. Estimated cost is $15.2 million. The study is at www.conexusindiana.com.
