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The Porter County Commissioners put the CSX railroad on notice Tuesday to repair the crossing on Meridian Road north of C.R. 900N in Liberty Township. County Commissioner President Robert Harper said the crossing is in terrible shape and possibly the worst crossing that the county has ever seen. On Tuesday morning, the northbound lane on the crossing had a large pothole, making crossing the tracks difficult. County Highway Assistant Supervisor David James said the railroad closed the tracks on Thursday and Friday of last week without informing the county, then reopened it. The crossing has since been damaged. He said the county took photos of the damage on Tuesday. The highway department will re-contact CSX about repairing the damage; the county could repair the crossing itself then bill the railroad for the work. In a separate matter, the county commissioners agreed to proceed with a grant-funded landscaping project at the new North Porter County Highway Garage. County Plan Commission Executive Director Robert Thompson sought approval to seek a $20,000 grant through the Coastal Zone program. As planned by the landscape firm of Soil Solutions, deep-rooted vegetation will be planted to aid in stormwater control while the natural habitat of oak savannah will be restored. Once the project is completed, the plan commission could take developers to the site to demonstrate how landscaping can be used in new developments for stormwater and habitat preservation. County Highway Supervisor Al Hoagland supported the project. “I think we’ve got a showcase up there,” he said of the new garage. North Porter County Commissioner John Evans agreed to provide the local grant match of $10,000 by taking the funds out of his north-county share of county income tax funds.
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