Repairs to the Zimmer Road roundabout should be completed today, Kosciusko County Commissioners heard this morning. County Administrator Ron Robinson reported on the work during the commissioners’ meeting this morning. The original engineering and design companies began removing bricks Sept. 16 from around the mound in the center of the Zimmer Road and West Lake Street intersection to determine why a section of bricks collapsed. The issue was first noticed in June, seven months after the $2.2 million roundabout was completed. The county’s share of that was about $450,000, with the bulk paid by state and federal grants. Repair costs were shared by engineer E & B Paving Inc. of Anderson and designer Troyer Group of Mishawaka. Robinson said he doesn’t know the cost the companies incurred for repairs. Fault for the brick collapse also was not determined, though Robinson noted the reason was found to be that the concrete truck apron around the mound held rainwater in place, causing pressure on the bricks. The design was fixed by installing drainage pipe under the bricks, he said. He also said after the meeting that once Zimmer roundabout repairs are finished, work will continue on widening West Lake Street between the roundabout and the Walnut Creek bridge. The road will be widened to allow for a center turning lane, and the bridge will be repaired as well as curbs and gutters. He said the work will require intermittent lane closures and is expected to finish in mid October. Robinson also presented commissioners a letter to sign asking state representatives to look at rules or funding for livestock kill reimbursement. Money for reimbursement comes from dog tag sales, since the fund is meant to cover livestock loss by loose dogs, but Robinson said the county has been inundated with requests lately and the fund is depleted. “We’d like to request the state to take a look at that. It’s not just our county, it’s surrounding counties, too,” he told commissioners. Commissioners also agreed to forward to the county surveyor a concern over blockage in a tributary between Winona Lake and the Tippecanoe River. The tributary would not be covered by the same state Lake and River Enhancement Program grant that will be used for Tippecanoe River cleanup. Rock added after the meeting that the committee overseeing Tippecanoe cleanup expects to award a bid for the work by the end of the week.
