Before the ribbon was cut Monday at the ceremony for phase one of the East Market Street project, Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer thanked the city’s employees for all their efforts. “I’m most appreciative to my city employees and what they did to put this together as a public project done by the city,” he told the small crowd of local leaders. Thallemer also thanked the collaborators and partners for the project, noting that the city couldn’t have done it without them. “It’s a great project. This is how we want to do it,” he said. The city was very responsive to the neighborhood, he said, addressing any issues that came up along the way. He hoped they all were happy with the result. He concluded by giving a last big thank-you to the city employees. Phase one of East Market Street, which is completed, is from Argonne Road to Bronson Street. The three-fourth-mile street rehabilitation project included street redesign, a multi-use trail for bikes and pedestrians, and new sidewalks, street lights and street trees, according to a previously provided press release. Market Street was realigned and marked to provide for safer traffic flow. The street and underlying infrastructure were brought up to current construction standards through “innovative design and construction solutions,” the release states. This included drastic improvements to the sanitary and stormwater systems, road base treatment and intersection design. The multi-use trail was designed exclusively for bikes and pedestrians and is an alternative transportation route for residents of the East Market Street neighborhood, citizens who travel to and from downtown Warsaw, and those going to and from Winona Lake and Grace College. The city continues to create more viable choices for citizens in their transportation needs, according to the release. Those who are unable to drive, including many students and persons with disabilities, now have a safer route. The trail is also the central corridor for the local recreational trail network, forming the backbone of the system. The expanding trail network now provides more miles of recreational opportunity and connectivity. The release states that more people are now closer to a trail opportunity than before. The bike and pedestrian path for the East Market Street – Phase 1 project was made possible by donations from community partners. The K21 Health Foundation committed to the trail project early with a $375,000 matching grant. Trail partners responded by raising over $197,000, including OrthoWorx, The Bowen Center, KCV Cycling Club, Ideal Construction, Tri Kappa and numerous private individuals. Phase 2 will continue the project to downtown with the help of a federally funded state grant. The redesign will result in a street that is safe and comfortable for drivers, bikes, walkers, users with disabilities and residents, the release states. Engineering has already begun on Phase 2, and bid letting for construction is anticipated to begin in March 2018. The completed Market Street project will strengthen connections between the Town of Winona Lake, downtown Warsaw, Market Street neighborhood and three parks.
