Warsaw Bypass Won't Be Built For 3 Years

Construction of a bypass west of Warsaw won't begin for at least three years, according to a consultant for Kosciusko County.

County commissioners signed agreements with Congdon Engineering and the state of Indiana Tuesday to proceed with plans for a multi-phase bypass that will stretch from U.S. 30 west of Warsaw and eventually link Ind. 25 south of Warsaw.

Official approval by the state is expected in about six weeks, said Judy Congdon, president of the engineering firm.

She and county highway superintendent Ken Traylor updated the commissioners on the project Tuesday.

Cost of construction, not including design, is expected to be about $5.5 million. State and federal support is expected to provide about 80 percent of the costs.

Congdon said construction would not begin for at least three years.

That's because the project features just about every imaginable hurdle, including preservation of a historic bridge, concerns about wetlands and consideration of a railroad crossing, Congdon said.

Officials are unsure what type of roadway will be used over the railroad tracks south of U.S. 30. The tracks were recently purchased and railroad traffic is expected to soon increase.

Congdon said increased use of the tracks could necessitate the need for a bridge over the tracks instead of a regular crossing gate. Such a change could hike the project's construction costs by about $500,000.

Officials are also working with the Kosciusko County Historical Society to preserve an abandoned bridge that stands in the way of the proposed extension of CR 350W.

One idea would be to move the bridge to the east, Traylor said.

The proposed project entails improvements to CR 350W between U.S. 30 and Old Road 30. The next phase would involve extending the road to Crystal Lake Road.

Traylor said details concerning a wetlands near Crystal Lake Road must also be resolved. If the project includes use of wetlands, the county would likely have to work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The first priority will be improvements to CR 350W between U.S. 30 and Old Road 30.