Efforts to extend the Panhandle Pathway have finally gotten the support of the Pulaski County Commissioners. A motion to that effect was approved during last week’s meeting, on the condition that the plans meet the approval of local landowners. The first phase would extend the Panhandle Pathway north to the Tippecanoe River State Park. It would run alongside U.S. 35 for much of that length.
Friends of the Panhandle Pathway Board Member Fred Kasten told the commissioners that the group is on track to secure the necessary funding. “It looks like we’re going to be able to get some funds to provide our 20 percent with the governor’s Next Level Trails program, to where we could bring about $3 million in, in construction cost,” he said.
Kasten also addressed a series of concerns raised by Commissioner Jerry Locke. Kasten said at this point, organizers don’t expect to place a guardrail between the trail and the highway, except maybe on curves. As for potential damage from farm equipment, Kasten said the Friends of the Panhandle Pathway is typically responsible for repairs, but the goal is avoid the problem by planning ahead. “What we was asking, though, for most of the people is, ‘Okay, if you can identify an area where you’d generally run across something, we can beef up the trail,'” he explained.
Meanwhile, Kasten said the group plans to use an engineer to deal with drainage ditches and utility lines. He doesn’t think there will be any need for farmers to adjust their irrigation equipment to avoid hitting the trail. “People ought to be able to see if there’s water coming out there,” he said, “and if you don’t want to get wet, don’t go there.”
A potential second phase could extend the Panhandle Pathway north from the state park, to meet the North Judson Erie Trail near Bass Station. The commissioners asked whether it might be less disruptive to route that portion through the park rather than along U.S. 35, but Kasten said the Indiana Department of Natural Resources hasn’t been receptive to that idea.
