The Pilot News - Traffic in subdivision a concern

“In my experience, the worst part of Heritage Parkway is the part that goes toward 19,” she said. “In my opinion, having one at Penny Lane and one maybe back further at Maple Lane, having the interruptions, would really cut down (on speeding).”
Lon Kostis also thinks additional stop signs are in order.
“We’ve got to stop the speeders coming off of 19,” he said. “It should be one off of Cedar Ridge and then down by Penny Lane.”
A lack of sidewalks throughout the neighborhood has also left residents uneasy, especially as far as children are concerned.
“It’s scary,” Huff said.
Honoring residents’ requests, the Nappanee Police Department installed temporary speed monitoring devices in that area earlier in the year. The result was that 20 percent of the individual cars recorded were, in fact, exceeding the posted speed limit.
“We feel a stop sign at that intersection will serve the best purpose,” Nappanee Police Chief Mike Anglin said.
Huff agreed.
“I don’t think it would cost us anything except an extra stop sign and maybe save a life,” she said.
Residents have also observed drivers disregarding the fact that NorthWood Drive ends and continuing through.
According to Nappanee Mayor Larry Thompson, the current situation at NorthWood Drive is the result of city legislation passed about 12 years ago stating that the street would remain closed. The city had planned to place some sort of landscaping at the end of the street to deter would-be violators, but they never carried that out.
“I think the minutes said some kind of earth barrier,” Thompson said. “I think it just was forgotten about.”
Many of the situations that exist today did not exist when the legislation was first passed. But a lot can happen in 12 years, and Nappanee’s appearance has changed with the times.
“The area is more built up than it was at that time,” Thompson said. “It’s probably the most beautiful as far as our neighborhoods, but the poorest design.”
Despite the complaints, the board is reluctant to go to the measure of reversing a past decision.
“It would take a huge percentage of people wanting it open for the city to actually open a closed street,” Thompson said.
However, some good has come out of the past, as all future housing developments throughout Nappanee will contain sidewalks. Plans for a few sidewalks near the NorthWood subdivision are also a possibility.
“With the end-of-the-year sidewalk money, in the common areas, we will put sidewalks,” Thompson said.
This will include the area around the bridges.
The board did not reach a decision at the July 23 meeting, but will inspect the situation at NorthWood Drive and come up with a possible solution before the next meeting, which will be Monday, Aug. 13 at 3:30 p.m. at the Nappanee Municipal Center.
“We’re committed to at least a stop sign,” Thompson said.
The board also approved an agreement in lieu of annexation at the Buss West Side Industrial Park. According to city clerk-treasurer Kim Ingle, the mortgage on the Buss West Side park is ready to be released, except for one item. In the original agreement, the Buss family was to put up a sign in the industrial park. However, that sign has not yet been installed. In place of installing the sign, Buss will give the city $1200 to put toward a sign some time in the future. An amendment to the agreement was drafted and the board approved it.
In other business:
•The board approved recommendations from Commonwealth Engineering for road maintenance, including portions of Airport Drive and a few other areas that require attention.
“I think we have enough money to do a good job and to cover our needs,” Thompson said.
•The Indiana Department of Transportation has done asphalting work along Main Street near the intersection of Walnut. This will continue out to the area north of Park Drive and will be done in sections.
•Reith-Riley, which is in charge of work on the downtown improvement project, has planned demolition this week in preparation for phase two of the ongoing project.