July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Traffic study ordered (2/8/05)
By By Rachelle Haughn-
The Portland City Council voted Monday to conduct a traffic study of a Portland street before making a decision about its future.
Boundary Pike resident Debi Gillespie asked the council Monday evening to consider changing Massachusetts Avenue from a two-way street to a one-way street.
Plans for the Boundary Pike/Wayne Street project call for widening the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Boundary Pike, said Aaron Goslee, project engineer for Bonar Group.
Boundary Pike and Massachusetts Avenue currently intersect at about a 25-degree angle, making it difficult for people driving south on Massachusetts Avenue to see oncoming traffic on Boundary Pike, Goslee said. The Indiana Department of Transportation requires streets to intersect at 70 degrees or more, he said.
Plans call for the intersection of the streets to be re-aligned, so the angle is at least 70 degrees. Extra room also will be added at the intersection to allow larger vehicles more room to turn.
Gillespie owns property north of the intersection. She said making Massachusetts Avenue one-way north will eliminate the need to improve the intersecting angle. This option would reduce the amount of land the city needs for the project. Under the current plans, she would have to give up about 6,000 square feet of her property.
Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier suggested the council consider having Portland police conduct a traffic study of the intersection to determine how changing the street to one-way would impact Massachusetts Avenue residents.
Goslee said if the street was one-way, the residents would have to drive north on Massachusetts Avenue, then west on Seventh Street to get to Boundary Pike.
The council voted to wait until the results of the traffic study are in before deciding if the street should be changed to one-way.
Portland Police Chief Bob Sours said the study results should be ready by the next city council meeting, which is Monday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m.
The Boundary Pike/Wayne Street project is expected to begin this summer, Goslee said. The city is currently in the process of acquiring the rights-of-way for the project. The estimated $4.6 million project will improve drainage and the water main, improve and run the sanitary sewer to the Salamonie River, add new street lights and improve safety by adding new sidewalks.
In a related matter, Hosier also said Portland residents who have received a letter regarding rights-of-way issues with the Boundary Pike/Wayne Street project need to call the mayor’s office and schedule an appointment to discuss their property.
In other business, representatives from a Utah-based organization expressed their interest in bringing four-wheel rockcrawling events to Portland.
United Rockcrawling and Off-Road Challenge president Mark Patey said the organization would like to build a rockcrawling course and hold two rockcrawling events per year at the proposed X-Plex Extreme Competition Park.
Rockcrawling is four-wheel vehicles, such as Jeeps, climbing large rocks. About four acres at the sports park, which is slated to be built at 710 East 100 North, would be needed for the events.
UROC chief executive officer Ranch Pratt said the rockcrawling events could draw about 60,000 people to Portland if the community supports the events. Patey added, “When the community gets behind (the event), it can pull out huge numbers.”
“I really want the council to think seriously about this,” said X-Plex developer Glynn Barber. He said he would pay for the construction of the course.
Also Monday, council members:
•Voted to send a 10-year tax abatement request to the Portland Tax Abatement Advisory Committee for review.
Qualtech Tool & Engineering, 103 Performance Drive, Portland, plans to build a 3,200 square foot storage building adjacent to the existing structure at a cost of $46,200.
Jay County Development Corporation executive director Robert Quadrozzi said the building will not create any additional jobs.
A tax abatement allows companies to pay taxes in increasing increments over several years, instead of paying the full amount each year.
•Gave permission to the Arch Bridge Kroozers to close city streets near the Jay County Courthouse for cruise-ins on May 21 and Oct. 1.
The council also granted permission for the organization to use the former Portland Fire Station, located on Commerce Street, as a cafe during the event.[[In-content Ad]]
Boundary Pike resident Debi Gillespie asked the council Monday evening to consider changing Massachusetts Avenue from a two-way street to a one-way street.
Plans for the Boundary Pike/Wayne Street project call for widening the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Boundary Pike, said Aaron Goslee, project engineer for Bonar Group.
Boundary Pike and Massachusetts Avenue currently intersect at about a 25-degree angle, making it difficult for people driving south on Massachusetts Avenue to see oncoming traffic on Boundary Pike, Goslee said. The Indiana Department of Transportation requires streets to intersect at 70 degrees or more, he said.
Plans call for the intersection of the streets to be re-aligned, so the angle is at least 70 degrees. Extra room also will be added at the intersection to allow larger vehicles more room to turn.
Gillespie owns property north of the intersection. She said making Massachusetts Avenue one-way north will eliminate the need to improve the intersecting angle. This option would reduce the amount of land the city needs for the project. Under the current plans, she would have to give up about 6,000 square feet of her property.
Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier suggested the council consider having Portland police conduct a traffic study of the intersection to determine how changing the street to one-way would impact Massachusetts Avenue residents.
Goslee said if the street was one-way, the residents would have to drive north on Massachusetts Avenue, then west on Seventh Street to get to Boundary Pike.
The council voted to wait until the results of the traffic study are in before deciding if the street should be changed to one-way.
Portland Police Chief Bob Sours said the study results should be ready by the next city council meeting, which is Monday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m.
The Boundary Pike/Wayne Street project is expected to begin this summer, Goslee said. The city is currently in the process of acquiring the rights-of-way for the project. The estimated $4.6 million project will improve drainage and the water main, improve and run the sanitary sewer to the Salamonie River, add new street lights and improve safety by adding new sidewalks.
In a related matter, Hosier also said Portland residents who have received a letter regarding rights-of-way issues with the Boundary Pike/Wayne Street project need to call the mayor’s office and schedule an appointment to discuss their property.
In other business, representatives from a Utah-based organization expressed their interest in bringing four-wheel rockcrawling events to Portland.
United Rockcrawling and Off-Road Challenge president Mark Patey said the organization would like to build a rockcrawling course and hold two rockcrawling events per year at the proposed X-Plex Extreme Competition Park.
Rockcrawling is four-wheel vehicles, such as Jeeps, climbing large rocks. About four acres at the sports park, which is slated to be built at 710 East 100 North, would be needed for the events.
UROC chief executive officer Ranch Pratt said the rockcrawling events could draw about 60,000 people to Portland if the community supports the events. Patey added, “When the community gets behind (the event), it can pull out huge numbers.”
“I really want the council to think seriously about this,” said X-Plex developer Glynn Barber. He said he would pay for the construction of the course.
Also Monday, council members:
•Voted to send a 10-year tax abatement request to the Portland Tax Abatement Advisory Committee for review.
Qualtech Tool & Engineering, 103 Performance Drive, Portland, plans to build a 3,200 square foot storage building adjacent to the existing structure at a cost of $46,200.
Jay County Development Corporation executive director Robert Quadrozzi said the building will not create any additional jobs.
A tax abatement allows companies to pay taxes in increasing increments over several years, instead of paying the full amount each year.
•Gave permission to the Arch Bridge Kroozers to close city streets near the Jay County Courthouse for cruise-ins on May 21 and Oct. 1.
The council also granted permission for the organization to use the former Portland Fire Station, located on Commerce Street, as a cafe during the event.[[In-content Ad]]
Top Stories
9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit
Chartwells marketing
September 17, 2024 7:36 a.m.
Events
250 X 250 AD