Planning continues for the extension of the Panhandle Pathway. It currently ends at State Road 14 in Winamac. The goal is to extend it north to the Tippecanoe River State Park. The Friends of the Panhandle Pathway gave an update to the Winamac Town Council Monday.
The first phase of the work will extend the trail about seven-tenths of a mile, using a former railroad right-of-way now owned by the town. At this point, organizers say they’ve had the property surveyed. Before construction can begin, though, there are a few obstacles that need to be dealt with. While the trail surface itself will only be 10 feet wide, the width of the right-of-way has to be at least 30 feet, for the project to qualify for grant funding.
A big concern is a shed that has apparently been built on the town’s property. Council members agreed it should be moved, and asked Town Manager Brad Zellers to work on it. Once that’s taken care of, the next step will be to get construction estimates from contractors.
Eventually, the group wants to build a bridge across State Road 14, but for now, the crossing will just consist of warning signs and pavement markings, as required by INDOT. Meanwhile, the Friends of the Panhandle Pathway say they’re working with property owners to secure the right-of-way for the rest of the extension.
