By KEVIN NEVERS

The public will have its first opportunity to review the actual engineering drawings for Phase I of the South Calumet Business District on Dec. 10.

From 4 to 6 p.m., in the meeting room of the town hall, representatives of DLZ, the town’s contracted project engineer, will be on hand that day with copies of the drawings to answer questions. The Chesterton Redevelopment Commission will then hold its regular monthly meeting at 6 p.m.

Phase I of the project, slated for 2008, will be comprised of the following:

•The intersection of C.R. 100E and Beverly Drive Extended/South Calumet Road.

•The connector road between C.R. 100E and South Calumet Road.

•The stormwater link between C.R. 100E and Beverly Drive Extended/South Calumet Road to the existing detention basin west on Beverly Drive.

Town Engineer Mark O’Dell told the Chesterton Tribune that the actual permanent closure of the intersection of South Calumet Road and C.R. 1100N has not been formally scheduled but could be implemented anytime after Phase I of the project is completed next year.

Phase II of the project, slated for 2009, will be comprised of the following:

•C.R. 1100N improvements.

•C.R. 100E improvements.

•South Calumet Road improvements.

•Traffic signal at the intersection of C.R. 1100N and C.R. 100E.

•Roadway lighting.

•Streetscape improvements.

•New detention basins west of South Calumet Road.

Among other things, O’Dell said, the engineering drawings for Phase I will show the pieces of land which the town must acquire, in so-called “takings,” for new right of way. The drawings should also show the driveway “manifold” for the private drives of businesses along South Calumet Road.

Meanwhile, the next—and probably final—meeting of the stakeholders committee has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 5. O’Dell said that he expects the committee to submit a draft of its streetscape ideas to the Redevelopment Commission in time for its next meeting.

Posted 11/27/2007