By KEVIN NEVERS

On what street exactly the Town of Porter would link its own Brickyard Trail with the Prairie Duneland Trail has been a matter of contention with the Town of Chesterton for years.

Porter had sought to build the eight-foot hike-and bike-link on North Jackson Blvd., but property owners there objected vociferously, at least partially because it would have eliminated on-street parking for the residents.

Instead Chesterton wanted to see the link built along the commercial and industrial strip of 15th Street. That option, however, Porter rejected for safety reasons: the three railroad grade-crossings which cut across 15th Street are widely separated, while those which cut across North Jackson Blvd. closely converge.

There the issue stalemated. But at Monday’s meeting of the Town Council, Porter Town Council Member Bill Sexton proposed a solution of sorts which could make everyone happy. No matter what, he said, the Brickyard Trail’s southern terminus will be just north of the grade-crossings on North Jackson Blvd., at the intersection of Wagner Road and Lincoln Street, from which location it will proceed west along Lincoln. Both the Northwestern Indiana Planning Commission and the Indiana Department of Transportation have approved the Brickyard Trail’s final design, Sexton noted, and the project is set to move forward.

But, Sexton ventured, with the Chesterton Town Council’s approval, Porter would like to build at its own expense two five-foot sidewalks on either side of North Jackson Blvd. all the way south to the Prairie Duneland Trail. Both sidewalks, he said, would be built entirely within the 66-foot public right-of-way, and parking should not be impacted.

Members voted 5-0 to take the proposal under advisement at least until residents have an opportunity to offer input. “We really need to let the people have a say,” said President Jim Ton, R-1st.

Member Dave Cincoski, R-3rd, agreed and promised that he would personally canvas the residents of Jackson Blvd. who live in his district.

Town Engineer Mark O’Dell did have a few comments. First, he said, it would have to be determined that the five-foot side walks would not adversely affect drainage. Second, the intersection of Jackson Blvd. and Broadway would probably have to be made a four-way stop. At the moment it’s a two-way stop for motorists southbound and northbound on Jackson Blvd.

Cincoski observed that NIRPC has indicated that signage would have to be posted restricting bicycles from the sidewalks along their entire length, from the intersection of Wagner Road and Lincoln Street to the Prairie Duneland Trail. After the meeting, though, Police Chief George Nelson observed that nothing in the Chesterton Town Code specifically forbids bicyclists from riding on five-foot sidewalks so long as those sidewalks are not in a business district.

Member Sharon Darnell, D-4th, asked Sexton to provide at the council’s next meeting, April 14, a rough estimate of the cost of building those sidewalks “so residents know that the Town of Porter is making a substantial offer.”

Member Emerson DeLaney, meanwhile, asked Sexton to provide a time line and construction schedule so residents of Jackson Blvd. will know how when and for how long they will be inconvenienced.

Sexton did say that, should Chesterton reject the offer, the Brickyard Trail will simply stop north of the tracks.

Posted 3/25/2008