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WINONA LAKE – The Winona Lake Town Council approved a change order to USI Consultants in order to remove plans for a bridge on Packerton Road.
Council President Ashley McGinnis said the town had previously planned to put a “walk/bike trail/sidewalk of sorts. We met a few months back and we decided there really isn’t future plans or a need for a trail on that bridge. So we have submitted this change order request.”
She said the request does come with some cost because it requires revisions to the county bridge design in regards to utility planning and right-of-way.
The change order cost is $114,750 in order to not have the walking path/bike trail on the bridge as part of the bridge redesign. The cost to keep the path/trail in the designs would be over $300,000.
McGinnis said a few months ago, the council had a work session with former Town Manager Pam Howard and they went over several projects that had been on the town’s radar. A lot of Packerton Road is county “so there was really nothing the town had planned and nothing the town could plan as far as a trail or connectivity goes.”
Councilman Jason Zaugg said he thought the other topic there currently is connectivity through Southtown Estates. It is a little farther for some people, but the connectivity is there.
When asked about widening the bridge, McGinnis said she didn’t know. “Potentially that is part of the plan, I don’t know. The county could tell you what their plan is for their bridge,” she said.
Resident Jim LeMasters said it makes no sense for USI Consultants to charge $114,000 to leave out a path/trail. McGinnis said it’s just not leaving something out, as there is work that has to go into redesigning the plan.
The council also had its first reading about an e-bike ordinance. There will be a second reading in August.
The ordinance includes the maximum speed for micromobility devices shall be the posted speed limit, but not greater than 35 miles per hour, unless otherwise authorized by state law on streets.
A bicycle, micromobility device or e-bike operated on a roadway from one-half hour before sunset until one-half hour after sunrise must be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a white light visible from a distance from at least 500 feet to the front and a lamp on the rear exhibiting a read light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear or a red reflector visible from a distance of 500 feet.
The ordinance says no e-moto device can be on any greenway.
Town attorney Adam Turner said he didn’t take a whole lot of liberties with the ordinance and is pretty much what the city of Warsaw has.
Violations of the ordinance would be $25 for the first offense, $50 for the second offense and $150 for a third or subsequent offense with 365 days.
In other business, the council:
• Approved stopping roller hockey at the Miller Sunset Pavilion for this year after it was not getting the crowd that was hoped for.
• Heard about Winona Happenings.
Touch-a-Truck at the Village will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
The Jazz festival at Rodeheaver Auditorium will be from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 25.
Family Fest at Miller Sunset Pavilion will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Aug. 1.
The Back to School Luncheon with the Winona Lake Police Department at Miller Sunset Pavilion will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 3.
The Sidewalk Sale in the Village will be Aug. 8.
The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 149 golf outing at Stonehenge Golf Course and lunch will start at 1 p.m. Aug. 24.
The Farmers Market at MSP is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 11, 18 and 25 and Aug. 8 and 15.
• Heard $626 was raised through the Cones with Cops event June 19.
