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Corridor study for the Western Route Project, formerly known as the CR 350W project, will cost the county an estimated $98,000 if the contract with The Troyer Group is approved.
Troyer also will coordinate the project with environmental agencies for a cost of $24,700 and will coordinate the project with the Indiana Department of Transportation for approximately $22,000.
Those are the numbers Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson presented to the county commissioners Tuesday.
The contract and fees for The Troyer Group to do the work for the county were approved but were not signed by the county commissioners, so they can be forwarded to the county council today for review. The commissioners and council will meet July 26 to discuss the terms and fees of the contract.
When the study is completed, Ladson told the commissioners, the corridor for the project should be identified and outlined. There will then be public meetings on the project.
Ladson said he asked The Troyer Group to estimate the total cost of the Western Route Project. Their all-inclusive cost for the project is estimated at $16 million to $23 million. Eighty percent of the construction cost is eligible for federal aid. The county's share, including fees not covered by federal aid, such as architect's fee, will be an estimated $5 million to $8 million.
For several years, the county's had federal funds for work for roads in the area of CR 350W. Ladson discovered the money was there late last year.
With the money, the county can upgrade CR 350W; build a new road and bridge from Old Road 30 to Park Schramm Road over Tippecanoe River; and put in a new road from Park Schramm Road to Crystal Lake Road, including an overpass for the railroad.
In December, the commissioners decided to proceed with the project "in all three phases and with the use of federal aid." The aid will cover 80 percent of the construction costs but none of the engineering and right-of-way acquisition cost. If federal aid funds are used, federal guidelines must be followed.
However, many residents in the area oppose the project on CR 350W.
In other business:
• Kosciusko County Clerk Sharon Christner reported her office is in the middle of redistricting. Sizes of districts are being adjusted based on information received from the state.
"We've got a lot of work ahead of us," she said. The clerk's office has until the first of the year to inform voters of any and all changes. "We need to get this done as soon as we can."
• Stephanie Noffsinger and Katie Howe presented the commissioners with a plaque and medal the county received for being a finalist in the All-America City competition in Atlanta.
"We didn't win," said Noffsinger, "but we were in very good company." She said they didn't know what to expect and learned a lot from the competition. The 13 delegates who went, she said, came back with a lot of community pride.
"We just felt very honored to be there," she said.
Howe said, "We're just very proud to represent out community."
Commissioner president Brad Jackson told them he appreciated the time those involved put in and that they did a good job.
• The commissioners approved several stop sign ordinances presented by Ladson and an ordinance regarding road standards.
They also approved a bid by Morton's for salt for the highway department at $39.65 per ton.
An update on the highway department's inventory maps was approved.
• Approved the vacation of Wesley Road in Epworth Forest.
• Kurt Carlson, Bowen Center, told the commissioners they are still working on their budget request for 2002.
Kosciusko County Commissioners are: president Brad Jackson, vice president Avis Gunter and Ron Truex. They meet every other Tuesday at 9 a.m. in the county courthouse.
