Work Continues On Bridge 82 On Judah Logan Road

Last updated on Tuesday, November 3, 2015

(BEDFORD) - Highway Superintendent David Holmes says crews have completed taking off the old deck on Bridge 82 on Judah Logan Road over Salt Creek.

On Monday, crews began pulling down the old beams.

The Lawrence County Council allocated $420,000 for the replacement of the bridge. Holmes requested $270,000 from the Cumulative Bridge Fund and $150,000 from the Cumulative Capital Fund to pay for the work.

The bridge is currently posted at a 15-ton limit. Crews will replace the beams with used ones, saving some money.

The old beams were damaged by salt used to melt ice on county roads.

Holmes says highway crews continue to cut brush and are doing some patching of potholes on county roads and continue to replace signs.

Sheriff Branham reported that there were 127 inmates being housed at the jail. Of those, 28 were females and there were no Department of Correction holds.

Sheriff Branham says currently the jail is not a DOC holding facility.

"Currently we can not afford to hold DOC prisoners because of our inmates numbers being so high and we are short staffed," he added. "We just don't have the room."

The DOC pays local jails to hold prisoners.

"We are considered at 80 percent capacity at 135 (inmates). Our numbers would have to stay at or below 120 for some time before I would consider becoming a holding facility for DOC," Sheriff Branham says.

In other business, Sheriff Branham says painting inside and outside of the jail will be completed this week.

Veterans Affairs Officer Brad Bough and his office staff will be participating in Veteran's Day events at several area schools. The annual Veteran's Day event that is normally will held at the courthouse will not happen this years because of construction on the courthouse lawn. The American Legion will hold a ceremony on Veteran's Day, November 11.

Emergency Management Director Valerie Luchauer requested permission to share information with Remenschneider Associates of Indianapolis to help create a bicycle, pedestrian master plan for the city of Bedford.

The company has asked county officials to provide information about local roads, flood boundaries and shape files for Shawswick and Marion Townships.

Luchauer says she will work with City Plan Director Dan Kirk to provide those to Remenschneider with the commissioner's permission.

Both Commissioners Dave Flinn and Bill Spreen agreed to gather the information using the county's 39 Degrees and WTH GIS as long as there is no cost to the county.

"If there is a cost then we need to pass it on to them," says Flinn.

The Bedford City Council has allocated $40,000 to hire Remenschneider Associates of Indianapolis to help create a bicycle, pedestrian master plan for the city.

An Indiana State Department of Health grant will cover $20,000, and the Lawrence County Economic Growth Council will pay $10,000 with the city paying the remaining $10,000.

This is a new trail, in addition to but separate from the Milwaukee Trail and the Limestone Trail.

According to the agreement with the City of Bedford, Remenschneider will gather an advisory committee to gather input and review the existing conditions that influence walking and bicycling within the study area. They will do an inventory and analysis of policies, programs and infrastructure that currently support walking and bicycling. Then survey residents in the community to learn the extent, barriers and opportunities for walking and bicycling within the community.

A public meeting will be held to review those findings and to gather more input from the public.

A draft plan of their findings, recommendations for policies, programs and infrastructure, a map of the proposed pedestrian and bicycling system will be prepared and then discussed between the city, the advisory committee and the consultant and should be completed by next summer.

1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com

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