The U.S. 30 Coalition continues working on plans to upgrade the highway to freeway standards. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Lisa Dan recently gave an update to the county commissioners.
Continue readingStarke Commissioners Finalize Planning Commission Appointment, Discuss Highway Department Operations
A vacancy on the Starke County Planning Commission has been resolved. It was reported to the county commissioners Monday that the county’s township trustees voted four-to-three to have Oregon Township Trustee Mark Allen fill the trustee’s seat. The commissioners affirmed his appointment with a unanimous vote.
Continue readingU.S. 30 Study to Begin Soon
Officials from the Indiana Department of Transportation will soon begin a Planning and Environment Linkages study aimed to improve the U.S. 30 corridor from Valparaiso to the Ohio state line.
Continue readingU.S. 30 and U.S. 31 Planning, Trail Funding Included in Governor’s 2021 Agenda
Upgrades to U.S. 30 and U.S. 31 remain on the governor’s radar, as he sets his goals for the coming years. Governor Eric Holcomb presented his 2021 Next Level Agenda last week, and continuing with long-term planning for the two highways made it onto his list of infrastructure goals, “Making progress on an Indy-to-South Bend ‘cruise control’ U.S. 31 and major corridor improvements on U.S. 30.”
Continue readingStarke County Commissioners Review Dues to U.S. 30 Coalition
Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler asked the commissioners last week of their wishes concerning the payment of dues to the U.S. 30 Coalition.
Continue readingU.S. 30 Coalition Representatives Provide Update to Starke County Commissioners
While INDOT is not showing any movement toward a U.S. 30 freeway project and has no current plans to develop it, the U.S. 30 Coalition members are attempting to lobby the Governor’s Office and the legislature to get the project moving.
Continue readingStarke County Commissioners to Hear from U.S. 30 Coalition Leaders
It appears that INDOT is not showing any movement toward a U.S. 30 freeway project and has no current plans to develop it.
Continue readingOfficials Urge Public Input on Proposed U.S. 30 Freeway
Starke County’s representatives in the U.S. 30 Coalition project met Wednesday night to get for statistics on traffic data.
Starke County Council, Commissioners to Meet Tonight
The Starke County Council members will consider the approval of a job description for a shift supervisor for the Starke County EMS Department when they meet tonight. EMS Director Travis Clary requested support from the commissioners for the four paramedics to oversee operations while he is unable to do so. A $.25 or a $.50 increase for those assuming those duties will also be considered. The council will also determine how to fund two cardiac monitors that were deemed an emergency purchase by commissioners earlier this month. The cost is just over $42,000.
Starke County Council Tables Payment to U.S. 30 Coalition
The Starke County Council members want more information about what will be offered to Starke County in the proposed U.S. 30 freeway project before they pay $10,000 toward consultation fees for coalition efforts.
Councilman Dave Pearman asked Larry Wickert from the Starke County Economic Development Foundation about the payment as it was requested. The funds would come out of the commissioner’s County Economic Development Income Tax Fund. Wickert explained that six out of the seven counties involved in the proposed U.S. 30 project pay into the coalition. La Porte County is the only county that doesn’t pay. Wickert believes that U.S. 30 would stay rural in La Porte County and not see an impact. The county has the toll road for a focus.
Wickert Named Interim Executive Director of Starke County Economic Development Foundation
The Starke County Economic Development Foundation will soon be looking for a new leader. Charlie Weaver has retired, after serving as the foundation’s executive director since 2005.
Starke County Ahead of Others in Collecting Data for Potential U.S. 30 Upgrade
Starke County is ahead of other entities in preparing for the possible upgrade of U.S. 30 to a freeway. That’s what Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the county commissioners this week in his report of a recent U.S. 30 Coalition meeting in Warsaw.
“We’ve held public meetings, we have a committee in the county and we’ve done most of our traffic study work that needs to be done,” said Ritzler. “We’re way ahead of all of the other counties to do that. That meeting went well.”
Starke County Economic Development Foundation Hosts U.S. 30 Upgrade Committee Meeting
The Starke County Economic Development Foundation hosted a meeting last night with various members of the Starke County community who would be impacted by the proposed U.S. 30 Freeway Project.
SCEDF Executive Director Charles Weaver began the meeting and introduced representatives from Appian , a consulting firm that is working with the foundation. President of the organization, Dennis Faulkenberg started by saying that though the project is still very far down the line, they wanted to hear some of the ideas that were circulating within the community.
Faulkenberg advised everyone present that it is imperative to collect data and come up with a concrete plan prior to approaching INDOT. He said that’s the best way to avoid being pressured into doing the most cost effective option at the expense of what is best for the community. Continue reading
Hamlet Interchange Recommended, As U.S. 30 Improvement Discussions Begin
Starke County Highway Department Anticipating Future U.S. 30 Upgrades
U.S. 30 Coalition Discusses Freeway Plan with Residents
U.S. 30 is likely to be upgraded to freeway standards in the next 10 years, so now’s the time for local residents to get together and offer their input. That’s what a consultant working with the statewide U.S. 30 Coalition told residents during an informational meeting Wednesday in Hamlet.