WINONA LAKE - State Representative and Winona Lake resident Dave Wolkins voiced his concerns regarding the CR 250E project during Tuesday morning's Winona Lake Town Council meeting.
Gary Randle, Bonar Group, who is the engineer for the project, attended the council's Aug. 11 meeting to provide an update on the project. Randle said the current curb and gutter is separating the sides of the road and the asphalt is pulling apart as the outside road settles. He said the settling is a failure of a pipe under the road that is egg-shaped and is causing settling in the road."This isn't a failure of construction, but is a fact of a subgrade in the road that was unanticipated at the time," Randle said.
Randle informed the council the road's surface is ready to be torn out and cracks on the road are in need of repair. The road's curb and gutter will be removed and shoulders will be placed on the side of the road.
The cost of the repairs is $306,000, of which Indiana Department of Transportation will pay 80 percent and Winona Lake will pay 20 percent, according to Town Coordinator Craig Allebach.
CR 250E from Wooster Road to US 30 will be closed until the end of September for repairs. NIPSCO is working in the area to relocate a gas main and then shortly after Phend & Brown, contractor for the project, will be in to repair the road south of the railroad tracks. Detour signs have been posted.
A wider emergency lane will be installed for people to navigate the area in case of an emergency.
Tuesday, Wolkins said he doesn't think Winona Lake residents should have to pay thousands of dollars to fix the problem.
"I am encouraging you to ask more questions and have your attorney look at the contract," Wolkins said to the council. "I don't think Winona Lake should have to pay for someone else's mistake."
Council President Terry Howie said the Aug. 11 meeting was an informational meeting.
"We agree with you, but didn't grill the engineer enough at the last meeting and took it as an information session from the engineer for us to gather more information," Howie said.
Wolkins said he has talked to state and county officials and has been getting lots of different stories about the project.
"The bottom line is that the project didn't work out the way it was supposed to work out, somebody made a mistake," Wolkins said.
Wolkins said he talked to people who made suggestions to the engineering firm before the project began who informed him the ideas were not well-received.
"I'm of the opinion that the engineers should have known there was some soil problems out there because others in the community did," Wolkins said. "I believe in accountability and know everyone makes mistakes, but I think the engineer ought to stand up and admit and accept responsibility."
Wolkins said to fix the road correctly will be very expensive. He said there are two ways - either putting piling down or demucking the road totally.
He said he will assist the town in meeting with INDOT officials to discuss the project.
Wolkins looked at the engineer's contract and said there is not a question that the road was constructed properly by the contractor, but the plans the engineers had did not work.
In other business, Town Marshal Paul Schmitt said he is interested in the Winona Lake Police Department instituting a volunteer victim's advocate program at the department.
If approved, the program will provide officers of the department with an advocate to assist them with victims of domestic violence and sex offenses.
The council tabled approving the program to allow the council more time to review information.
Street Superintendent Pete O'Connell said he is interested in the town considering purchasing a salt storage facility. He said he has received quotes. Salt is currently stored at the Winona Lake Street Department and is a steel building that the salt is deteriorating.
Howie recommended O'Connell provide design specifications to allow contractors to review them.
Councilwoman Joy Lohse said she has been working with Allebach to update the town's Web site to provide information about activities and to draw those from out of town to Winona Lake.
The council also approved, on second reading, an ordinance amendment for signs in the town. The ordinance states political signs are subject to sections of the town ordinances that prohibit the placement of signs in public rights of way or in locations they may impede the view of traffic signs, traffic signals, other traffic devices or intersections.
Upcoming events include: Grace College begins Tuesday; a shop hop is Sept. 11; and an adventure race is Sept. 19.
