By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — Two area lawmakers are developing a plan for US 30 that would address the Parker Street intersection — widely viewed as the most dangerous intersection along US 30 across all of Indiana.
State Senator Ryan Mishler and State Representative Craig Snow said they met with officials from the Indiana Department of Transportation earlier this month, which included a discussion of US 30 and specifically the proposed construction of an overpass over Parker Street and an interchange constructed further to the west at Springhill Road.
Mishler talked about the issue Saturday while in Warsaw and said something “needs to be done.”
In their meeting, Mishler said they put forth some proposals.
He said he plans to track how that progresses and how INDOT is budgeting projects.
He credited Snow for taking the lead on the issue by developing maps and even talking to stakeholders.
“I think what we’re working on together would be a really good plan moving forward for this area,” Mishler said.
An interchange at Springhill Road would serve as a new connection to US 30 and is a short distance from both Parkview Kosciusko Hospital and Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital.
Aside from traffic safety concerns, Mishler said the projects would be a big boost for economic development.
He also said the proposals also reflect Slate Auto’s plans to bring nearly 2,000 workers to its future factory on Old Road 30 later this year.
“If they want to develop that corridor going to Slate, you’ve got to have something on 30. Once you put something on 30, I think you will see huge development coming around that area,” he said.
Snow said their proposal is similar to one in Whitley County, where Steel Dynamics Inc. worked with county officials and other industry to jump-start plans for the construction of at least two major intersections along US 30.
INDOT has previously endorsed the long-term plan of reconstructing the highway from Ohio to northwest Indiana, but aside from the initial progress in Whitley County, no money has been formally approved for initial steps toward specific construction segments.
Snow cautions that talks are preliminary and that it would take many years for construction to begin, if it is eventually approved.
Preliminary steps by consultants working with INDOT and the US 30 Coalition have progressed across the entire stretch of the highway over the past decade, but few developments have been made in the past two years.
