July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.

Mass. Ave. now one-way (5/3/05)

Council approves change for portion of street on southeast side

By By Rachelle Haughn-

Area residents who typically drive south on a portion of Massachusetts Avenue will no longer be able to do so.

The Portland City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Monday changing a portion of Massachusetts Avenue from a two-way street to a one-way north street. The ordinance affects the portion of the street located between Seventh Street and Boundary Pike. Councilman Dolphus Stephens did not attend the meeting.

Boundary Pike resident Debi Gillespie asked the council at the Feb. 7 meeting to consider changing Massachusetts Avenue from a two-way street to a one-way north street so she would not lose so much land to the Boundary Pike/Wayne Street project.

Plans for the project call for widening the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Boundary Pike, which would cause Gillespie to lose 6,000 square feet of her property. Boundary Pike and Massachusetts Avenue currently intersect at about a 25-degree angle. Making the street one-way north eliminates the need for expanding the angle.

Also approved Monday by the council was a proposed subdivision slated to be built at the northeast corner of Main and Charles streets on the west side of Portland.

The six council members who attended the meeting unanimously approved the proposed Imel Addition Section II, a six-lot subdivision. The secondary plat for the project was approved on first and second readings.

BEAM LLC of Portland wants to use the approximately four acres to create four lots with entrances from West Main Street and two lots with entrances from Charles Street.

In other business, the council heard the results of a short study of the intersection of Tallman and Jack streets.

Portland Street and Park Department superintendent Jeff Harker said he has looked at the intersection three times since the April 4 council meeting.

At that meeting, Tom Holcomb of Jay-Randolph Developmental Services asked the council to consider replacing the yield sign posted on Tallman Street at the intersection with Jack Street with a stop sign. Holcomb said he would like a stop sign there so drivers would slow down and be more aware of their surroundings, making the intersection safer.

Harker said he does not think a stop sign is necessary at the intersection. Jack Street is only about 280 feet long, which doesn’t allow vehicles enough time to reach the 30 mph speed limit, he said. The speed limit on Tallman Street drops to 20 mph near East Elementary School.

He suggested the city consider installing a speed bump on Tallman Street or posting signs reminding drivers that the speed limit drops to 20 mph near the school. There currently are no speed limit signs along Tallman Street, Harker said.

Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier suggested council members look at the intersection and be ready to discuss possible solutions at the next meeting, which is Monday, May 16, at 7 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Portland Fire Station meeting room.

Also Monday, the council:

•Heard a request by Gail Green, 154 E. Third St., Portland, that the city considering giving up ownership of an alley near his home.

Green said he owns a lot located at 148 E. Third St., and the alley runs between the two properties. He would like to tear down the house on this lot, build a garage there and possibly use the alley for a driveway.

Hosier said the request would be put on the agenda for the next council meeting.

•Heard Harker report that the last day for Jan. 5 ice storm debris collection in Portland will be Friday, May 13.

Harker said the street department has been working diligently for several months to collect the limbs and is ready to move on to other projects. The residents will be responsible for disposing of their debris after May 13, he said.

•Was invited to attend an informational session by Schneider Corporation about the proposed widening of Industrial Park Drive, which will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Portland Fire Station meeting room.

Plans are to widen Industrial Park Drive to three lanes, including turn and deceleration lanes.

All of the street, which runs west from North Meridian Street, near Bandido’s Restauranté Mexicano, curves to the south, then ends at West Votaw Street, near CrossRoads Financial Federal Credit Union, would be widened.

To fund the project, the city plans to apply for an Indiana Department of Transportation matching grant which would require a 20 percent match from the city. The street widening project has been estimated to cost about $800,000.

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