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The BEACON- Regional reach, Community Commitment. December 2019 issue
The BEACON- Regional reach, Community Commitment.
December 2019 issue
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December 20<strong>19</strong> THE BEACON Page 3A<br />
What is it?<br />
Last month’s item’s correct answer was submitted by<br />
Barb Nieman, Cross Plains. “It was a tobacco cutter that<br />
was used in stores years ago when it was common to roll<br />
your own cigarettes!”<br />
Other correct answers<br />
were received from Eric<br />
Smith, of Guilford; Carol<br />
Morton from Brookville;<br />
and Ed Oehlman,<br />
Brookville.<br />
This month’s challenge<br />
certainly makes one Last month: tobacco cutter<br />
thankful for modern day<br />
conveniences. We can’t<br />
wait to hear your stories about its past use. Please e-mail<br />
your guesses along with your name and where you live to<br />
editor@goBEACONnews.com by Friday, Nov. 22.<br />
sponsored by Cornerstone Realty/Lutz Auction Services<br />
An ariel view of the Stateline Road re-alignment project.<br />
Stateline Road Project Scheduled<br />
Continued from page 1A<br />
integral part in the site preparation<br />
by relocating gas lines.<br />
Engineering plans for the<br />
new section of road are specified<br />
as two twelve-foot lanes,<br />
each with paved shoulders<br />
measuring three feet wide. A<br />
passing blister is also planned<br />
at Georgetown Road.<br />
All bids for the traffic<br />
enhancement project must<br />
Community Crossings Funds Awarded<br />
Over $3,843,278 in state<br />
matching funds for local road<br />
projects were awarded through<br />
the Next Level Roads: Community<br />
Crossings Initiative.<br />
The purpose of the funds is<br />
to elevate Indiana’s economic<br />
competitiveness and quality of<br />
life for all Hoosiers through<br />
investment in transportation<br />
infrastructure. Matching funds<br />
by local governments range<br />
from 50 percent for larger<br />
communities or 25 percent for<br />
smaller communities.<br />
be submitted to INDOT by<br />
the scheduled letting date of<br />
November 14, 20<strong>19</strong>. Upon<br />
selection of a construction<br />
company, schedules for construction<br />
phasing and traffic<br />
restrictions will be made.<br />
Construction is expected to<br />
begin in the Spring of 2020<br />
with the estimated completion<br />
date of late fall in the same<br />
year.<br />
Area communites receiving<br />
matching funds are:<br />
Dearborn County $999,884<br />
Aurora $611,447<br />
Greendale $610,794<br />
Lawrenceburg $556,834<br />
Brookville $216,860<br />
Laurel $145,747<br />
Milan $258,286<br />
Osgood $737,849<br />
Versailles $316,371<br />
Applications for the next<br />
round of funding are due to<br />
INDOT in January, 2020.<br />
Counties Plan for Development, SR 101 Construction<br />
Continued from page 1A<br />
The preliminary cost for this<br />
project is estimated at $160-<br />
170 million.<br />
Ohio County Commissioners<br />
feel that they have a<br />
responsibility to ensure that<br />
taking ownership of any new<br />
roads such as part of SR 56<br />
does not cause a financial<br />
hardship for the county in the<br />
future. Similar considerations<br />
have been weighed by the<br />
Dearborn County commissioners<br />
and highway department<br />
for a portion of SR<br />
262. Switzerland County is<br />
attempting to estimate their<br />
responsibility for portions of<br />
SR 250 and SR 156.<br />
Typically projects of this<br />
magnitude are considered<br />
when a county sees a need<br />
in its area and approaches<br />
INDOT about helping them<br />
correct the problem.<br />
“This is the first time in my<br />
career that I have seen the<br />
state approach a county, much<br />
less several counties, with a<br />
proposal for such a project,”<br />
stated Mr. McClellan.<br />
The costs of slide repair and<br />
bridge replacement are both<br />
significant considerations for<br />
the counties. The impact on<br />
budgeting for maintenance<br />
costs for these roads, including<br />
mowing and snow removal,<br />
must also be considered.<br />
Rep. Randy Frye discussed<br />
a proposal that would be costeffective<br />
for the county while<br />
benefitting traffic flow from<br />
Cass Union to Rising Sun. SR<br />
262 is proposed to be rebuilt<br />
with ten-foot-wide lanes.<br />
Under this proposal, Ohio<br />
County would take responsibility<br />
for a portion of SR 56<br />
from Aberdeen to Rising Sun.<br />
Discussions are scheduled to<br />
be ongoing into January.<br />
The route of the proposed<br />
SR 101 would begin at<br />
Markland Dam and go to East<br />
Enterprise. It would then go<br />
to Aberdeen and then to Cass<br />
Union. At that point, the road<br />
would cut across the valley to<br />
Milton, and then into Dearborn<br />
County. Considerations<br />
would have to be made for<br />
intersections at Hartford,<br />
Downey Ridge, and Milton-<br />
Bear Branch Roads.<br />
Rep. Frye stressed that<br />
funding for road projects<br />
is available to communities<br />
through the Community<br />
Crossings Initiative. He urged<br />
municipalities to take advantage<br />
of this program and<br />
strengthen their transportation<br />
infrastructure. He commented<br />
on the proposed project. “We<br />
will see economic development<br />
like I have never seen in<br />
my lifetime.”<br />
Dearborn County Commissioner<br />
Jim Thatcher and Rick<br />
Probst attended the meeting.<br />
Both showed their willingness<br />
to work together with<br />
Ohio County on determining<br />
the best course of action for<br />
the proposed road. Commissioner<br />
Thatcher, president of<br />
the Dearborn County Commission,<br />
stated’ “Ohio, Switzerland,<br />
and Dearborn, must<br />
each work out all the details<br />
surrounding the new State<br />
Road 101 proposal. However,<br />
I believe alleviating truck<br />
traffic on U.S. 50, especially<br />
with the potential addition of<br />
a fourth port in Lawrenceburg<br />
and with a second phase that<br />
All Aboard Train Display<br />
Batesville Historical Center<br />
15 W. George – Batesville<br />
would connect all the way up<br />
to I-74 would be a step in the<br />
right direction for our region.<br />
I feel this opportunity would<br />
have a positive economic impact<br />
from improved highway<br />
access, expansion of existing<br />
businesses, attraction of new<br />
businesses, additional tourism,<br />
and travel time savings<br />
for everyone.”<br />
Future plans are already<br />
being discussed for another<br />
section of SR 101 that would<br />
connect U.S. 50 to I-74<br />
through Dearborn and Ripley<br />
counties. This project<br />
is envisioned to begin five<br />
years after the completion of<br />
the first phase of the SR 101<br />
project.<br />
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