By PAULENE POPARAD

Plans to get a hike/bike trail along Waverly Road in Porter over Interstate 94 may change.

Town engineer Hesham Khalil told the Redevelopment Commission on Tuesday that a subconsultant for the initially proposed pedestrian bridge over the interstate suggested that Porter ask permission to widen the two-lane Waverly bridge over I-94 instead.

“It’s a great idea and would be a big savings. A lot of agencies would be involved in that project to see if it’s possible. I think it is,” Khalil told the commission.

The Indiana Department of Transportation earlier rejected the town’s request to restripe the Waverly bridge moving the traffic lanes closer to one side and marking a designated bike route on the other, but after the meeting Khalil said he believes INDOT would approve widening the bridge.

The town previously was awarded $700,000 in federal funds for the pedestrian bridge but Khalil said there should be no problem using the money for the bridge widening.

He also said it’s not atypical for a grant project to take five to six years before construction actually begins; Porter has had the initial $800,000 federal grant for the Waverly bike trail, known as the Orchard Pedestrian Way, for several years. Likewise, it’s been almost six years since the first of $1.9 million in federal grants was awarded for the Porter Brickyard Trail on the town’s west side yet no construction has begun; that project is bogged down negotiating with railroads after five different routes were considered.

On another matter, Khalil said a video camera run through the Beam Street sanitary sewer shows the last two sections west of Wagner Road to be in good shape except for some manholes, however, “definitely east of there it needs a lot of work.” Most of that 15-inch clay sewer likely will have to be replaced or relined to Porter Avenue.

Commission President Bill Sexton said the Beam sewer west of Wagner probably was built in the 1960’s while the east side is much older. Sexton asked Khalil if any of the areas to the east are collapsed. The engineer said no, although there are some big cracks. Cracks allow groundwater to seep into the sanitary sewer system and cost Porter money to have it processed at Chesterton’s sewage treatment plant.

Construction specifications for the Beam project currently are being developed. Porter plans to start construction on the sewer rehab next year. Last year the Porter Avenue sewer, a main trunk line for the town, was relined.

Town Councilman Paul Childress, commission treasurer, said the commission has $918,354 on hand, $200,000 invested and is owed $200,000 by the Town Council for a loan to the general fund made earlier this year. The money has to be repaid by year’s end or a fiscal emergency declared to extend the loan.

Posted 11/30/2006