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BY JOYCE RUSSELL
joycer@nwitimes.com
219.762.1397 | Sunday, July 02, 2006 | (No comments posted.)
PORTAGE | Traffic at the U.S. 6/Airport Road intersection already is congested, especially when students and staff are entering and leaving Portage High School.
But imagine what it may be in the next year or so with the addition of 750,000 to one million annual visitors to the Portage 16/IMAX theater now under construction. Add to that proposed development at the southwest corner of the intersection, which could include a Kohl's department store and the 86 acres on the southeast corner of the intersection that are also ripe for commercial development.
It's something city officials have been projecting for years, said A.J. Monroe, director of community development and planning.
They've been so concerned, he said, they attempted to get funding two years ago from the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission to conduct a study that would eventually allow the city to add capacity -- a technical phrase for widening -- the now two-lane road. NIRPC turned down the request.
Now, said Monroe and Mayor Doug Olson, the city may use some of its Major Moves funding -- the money coming to the city from the state's lease of the Indiana Toll Road -- to not only study the traffic concerns, but to undertake the widening of Airport Road from Lute Road possibly to as far south as County Road 700 North.
The city began a project this spring to reconstruct Willowcreek Road from U.S. 6 to County Road 700 North from two lanes to four lanes with a turning lane. The Indiana Department of Transportation is also scheduled to begin the reconstruction of U.S. 6 from Scottsdale Avenue to Ind. 149. That could begin as early as this week.
"I would like to use some of the Major Moves money for this area. I do not see the widening going all the way to 700, but we shall see what the traffic study says," said Olson. "We need to write an RFP (request for proposal) as soon as possible and start the study as soon as possible. We will have to see about construction depending on what the study says should be done."
Olson said some of the responsibility for potential improvements to Airport Road would also fall on the developers in that area.
Monroe said the study should be conducted soon.
"We know these improvements need to be made. We wanted to do Airport Road two years ago. It all comes down to planning for growth and we've been doing that, but it takes time and money," said Monroe.
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