Tuesday, July 27, 2021
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NAPPANEE THEATRE
Serving Elkhart County and parts of Noble, LaGrange & Marshall Counties
JUNGLE CRUISE
Thurs, Fri., Sat. 7 P.M., Sun. 6 P.M. $5 Admission • Redeem This Ad For A Small Drink
154 N. Main • 574-773-2685 Vol. 49 No. 16
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Goshen (574) 534-2591
134 S. Main, Goshen, Indiana 46526
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Some of the western portions of the project may include having the path put off the road, but nothing is finalized yet. Another project is a connector to the Fidler Pond Trail from the east. Also a connector between the Winona Interurban Trail west of the railroad tracks to the path along Regent Street to the east near Bethany Christian School. “These projects are all at different points in the planning process and we don’t have specific construction dates
Interest in bicycling has noticeably increased since the onset of the COVID pandemic. If you have tried to purchase a new bicycle within the last year or so, it is more than likely you had to wait on it to arrive — sometimes for several months. Although there isn’t a significant amount of construction this year on trails systems in Elkhart County, planning for projects continues and next year should bring more construction activity. +($/7+< $& Many would point to the Pumpkinvine 7,9,7< ³ Dan Trail as the showpiece of trails systems in the Steiner used the county due to its longevity and length, among Millrace Trail in other reasons. Brittany Short, president of Goshen for jogthe Friends of the Pumpkinvine board of ging Thursday afdirectors, said she is confident the final conternoon, July 15. nections will be made in the trail by the end The Millrace Trail is of 2022, “which is incredibly exciting for this one of many trails community.” throughout Elkhart Short noted the extension of the PumpCounty. Photo by kinvine into downtown Shipshewana is movTim Ashley. ing forward. Town Manager Bob Shanahan is managing the project and the town planned to open bids at the first council meeting in July. The timeline for the construction will depend on who is awarded the contract, “but we’re hopeful that the major construction can be completed by the end of this year,” Short said. Preliminary engineering is underway for the gap be- for any of them yet,” Corwin said. Looking ahead past these projects are plans for a tween county roads 35 and 20 near Middlebury. Construction is planned for next summer. The gap was divided into path along the length of College Avenue and a path along two segments due to the wet nature of the western-most Blackport Drive, “but those are very early in the conceptual parcels and agreements made during land acquisition. In phase.” He said the focus is currently on providing more eastJune, 650 feet was paved off CR 35. In Goshen, there is no current active construction but west connectivity between the existing trails and “to develseveral projects are in the planning stages. One project op more on-street bicycle facilities or facilities within existwould provide east-west connectivity through downtown, ing rights of way utilizing a complete streets approach.” Last year a portion of the multiuse path along Kerchmost likely along the Lincoln Avenue corridor, said City Engineer Josh Corwin. He emphasized Lincoln Avenue is a er Road going east was finished from near the intersection with Dierdorff Road to almost US 33. The connector “possible concept but not locked down.”
*5283 5,'( ³ There is a group bike ride leaving from Lincoln Avenue Cycling and Fitness Thursday evenings in Goshen. Shown is Dr. David Kay, front right, among a group of men during one of the Thursday rides. Photo provided by Lincoln Avenue Cycling and Fitness.
between that portion and the Prairie View Cemetery will hopefully be finished this summer. In Middlebury, work on a short, safe connection route from the Pumpkinvine Trail to downtown along Crystal Valley Drive will possibly start soon. Tom Enright, parks department manager, said there would be bike markings along Crystal Valley Drive and bicyclists would share the road with motorists. The route would cross Brown Street and go to Memorial Park where there will be bike parking. Signage is also part of the project. Also a small asphalt crushed parking area should be finished this summer on West Spring Street, west of Main Street. A 120-150 foot paved trail would connect the parking lot to the Pumpkinvine. Enright noted another attempt will be made to obtain a state Next Level Trails grant for the River Mill Trail along Warren Street (CR 16) and turning north. It would connect Riverbend Park to the Pumpkinvine. The first attempt at the grant failed. Projects in Elkhart include paving a large portion of the New River Greenway Trail through a Next Level Trails grant, full reconstruction of South Main Street from Lusher to Hively to include a new multiuse path on the north side of Main Street and, in 2023, beginning construction of the Hively overpass project that will include connecting trails from the south and the north. Something new in the planning process is the Elkhart County Community Foundation launching Connect in Elkhart County, a mobility master plan for the county. YARD & Company of Cincinnati was hired to improve connections between the cities and towns of Elkhart County. Trails development is only part of the project, which also involves real estate development, placemaking and storytelling.