The Porter Redevelopment Commission is going to Plan B.

At its meeting Tuesday president Elka Nelson informed members that the grant application they thought they were submitting this month included projects that hadn’t been pre-approved.

Consultants from SEH were present Jan. 10 and discussed with RDC members --- four of the five new to the board --- several public improvements at Porter Beach. It now turns out only a 10 foot-wide pedestrian sidewalk along the east side of Wabash from Duneland Drive north to the beach qualifies for a $72,524 grant from the Lake Michigan Coastal Program.

The commission will have to supply a matching amount to receive the grant if approved.

The RDC also wants to build a handicapped-accessible walkway, ramp and observation deck for lake viewing from south of the National Park Service parking lot on its east side along a town easement to the beach itself.

A second priority is to make upgrades to the town parking lot with a turn-around and reconfigured spaces.

Regarding the walkway and parking-lot improvements, Nelson said after the meeting, “We have to figure out where to get the money. It’s still on our radar. We have $15,000 we could apply.”

The commission has access to $15,000 from a previous Lake Michigan development grant, and last month SEH consultants said they can try to get some of the remaining $17 million from a regional grant for Porter’s Gateway project reallocated for the Porter Beach improvements.

In other business, the RDC voted 5-0 to secure proposals in-house for a fence along the west edge of a portion of the new Brickyard hike/bike trail from Beam Street south along Sexton Avenue. The grade drops off up to 12 feet adjacent to the trail in an area known as the Brickyard, a former borrow pit for a brickmaking operation.

Outgoing town director of engineering Matt Keiser said the RDC could obtain fence proposals through the Indiana Department of Transportation, which is administering the $2.8 million trail project, but that likely would add to the price. The cost of the fence is all local money coming out of RDC funds directly.

Like an over-sized erector set, giant sections of the Brickyard Trail pedestrian bridge over four-lane U.S. 20 lie waiting to be set at Howe Road. RDC member Al Raffin asked how the bridge abutments will be protected once completed. Keiser said guardrail built to heavy-haul highway standards will be installed there.

He also said contractor Rieth-Riley will begin clearing land for the pedestrian bridge over two-lane U.S. 12 and for the trail segment into the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore; the entire project is on track for a June 1 completion.

Nelson asked that copies of an environmental report related to planned drainage improvements along Munson Ditch be provided to RDC members.

Posted 1/26/2012