By KEVIN NEVERS

Everyone talks about the Dickinson Road extension but no one does anything about it.

Perhaps this year, with a nudge from the Chesterton Redevelopment Commission, that project will get off square one.

At its organizational meeting Tuesday night, President David Canright—managing editor of the Chesterton Tribune—urged the Town Council, three of whose members sit on the commission, to make the extension a priority. “I’d like to encourage you to take some concrete actions on the Dickinson Road project,” he said.

“At some point the general route should be agreed on. . . . Then consider land acquisition so it doesn’t get developed out from under us.”

The general idea of the project is this: extend Dickinson over—or under—the Norfolk-Southern Railroad line north of Porter Ave. and then all the way north to Indian Boundary Road. The resulting north-south artery would allow motorists to travel from Indian Boundary as far south as the Indiana Toll Road—by way of Coffee Creek Center—without ever having to cross Ind. 49.

It’s a good idea—and high on the list of projects cited in the economic development plan enacted in 2000 when the town’s tax increment financing district was established—but the cost of the project, among other things, has always proved an impediment to any meaningful action.

Member Sharon Darnell welcomed Canright’s suggestion but indicated that she and Member Mike Bannon—both of whom sit on the Town Council—have been in discussion recently about the Dickinson Road extension. “It’s not a back-burner thing,” she said. “In the next couple of months we’ll have something to talk to legal about.”

In the meantime, however, Darnell added that she does not want to lose focus on the improvement of South Calumet Road north of C.R. 1100N, a project for which the commission earmarked $75,000 last year for engineering.

At some point this year, Darnell said, she hopes that the town will be in a position to issue a request for proposals. “We want to keep on it.”

“I’d like to see drawings,” Canright replied. “I don’t have a clue how you can fix it. It’s all chaotic.”

Improvements discussed have included modifications of traffic routing in the area of The Triangle, construction of sidewalks along the east side of South Calumet, and the piping of stormwater ditches.

Bits and Pieces

•Secretary-treasurer Gayle Polakowski informed members that the TIF account currently totals $471,292.88, of which $75,000 has been earmarked for engineering South Calumet Road improvements. Polakowski said that she has submitted a 2006 budget of $200,000 to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance but that if expenditures in excess of that amount are required the commission may make an additional appropriation. Bannon compared that budget to removing $200,000 from savings and placing it in checking for ease of disbursement.

•Members voted 5-0 to re-elect Canright to the presidency, 5-0 to elect Member Dave Cincoski to the vice-presidency, and 5-0 to re-elect Polakowski to the secretariat.

•The commission welcomed its newest member, Mark Singer, whom the Town Council in December appointed to the seat formerly held by Robin Ellerthorpe.

Posted 1/4/2006