Jan. 30—GOSHEN — The final property needed to move forward with the Dunlap overpass project at Sunnyside Avenue has been acquired.
Elkhart County Commissioners on Monday approved a Certificate of Taking for the sole property on C.R. 13 that didn’t respond quickly enough to county requests.
Elkhart County Highway Department Engineer Charlie McKenzie explained that county officials had sent requests to several homes along C.R. 13 in relationship to the project, to acquire portions of land mostly in front yards, and for whatever reason, the owner of 58937 C.R. 13, Elkhart, didn’t accept the initial offer and a viable counter offer wasn’t received.
As a result, the county entered into condemnation proceedings.
“What happened is we ended up negotiating further during that process and settled on $40,000,” McKenzie said. Still, because the legal proceedings had begun, to close them out, a Certificate of Taking had to be signed and approved, authorizing the acquisition of land in exchange for the compensation.
The project’s bid date is expected in March. The Indiana Department of Transportation is the lead agency on the project. Construction is expected to begin later this year, and completion is expected in 2026.
The project itself will carry Sunnyside Avenue over C.R. 45, the Norfolk Southern Railroad, and U.S. 33, touching back down at the existing Concord Mall Drive. There is also another overpass project in the works by the city of Elkhart at Hively Avenue.
McKenzie said that when all is said and done, there will be two additional overpasses in the area, and all four railroad crossings will be closed.
“It’ll be an asset for the community, I think,” McKenzie added.
INVESTMENTS
The Elkhart County Commissioners and the Board of Finance renewed and updated the annual investment resolution and police on Monday morning. It’s a four-year renewal for investments and a biannual renewal for CE investments.
Elkhart County Attorney Craig Buche explained that the law requires in most cases that any investment opportunity be federally insured, and all funds may be pooled if needed for better investment returns.
OTHER BUSINESS
—The county approved an annual request from Bashor Home of the United Methodist Church Inc. for $82,000 of an independent contractor agreement. They also approved an annual independent contractor agreement with ADEC Inc. for $50,000.
—Goshen Environment Resilience Group was approved for use of the courthouse lawn for its annual Arbor Day Celebration in conjunction with First Fridays on May 3.
—Commissioners agreed to an exchange of real estate between the city and the county. Property owned by the city of Goshen on Clinton Street and the Westmoor Parkway buffer strip will be exchanged for a few parcels of real estate on North Main Street south of the railroad that is currently owned by the county. The city is expected to agree to the exchange later this week.
—Commissioners approved an annual application from the Indiana Department of Corrections for juvenile services. The FY24-25 Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI), at $70,000, helps to support several programs that are designed to keep youth out of detention facilities.
Dani Messick is the education and entertainment reporter for The Goshen News. She can be reached at dani.messick@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2065.
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