WITZ Banner ad 2020 2_18_2020.jpg
WITZ Banner ad 2020 2_18_2020.jpg
Regional Development Authority Provides Mid-States Corridor Update at Monday Council Meeting
By Kris Norton
Jasper - In Monday evening's Dubois County Common Council meeting, the Regional Development Authority provided an update on the Mid-States Corridor Project.
The RDA's Bill Kaiser and Mark Schroeder took to the podium on Monday to brief the Council on the current timeline for the project.
The Mid-States Corridor Project is still currently working under the Tier 1 phase, which has seen significant delays. Kaiser and Schroeder stated that the phase was initially expected to be completed in 2021, but delays from COVID-19 and work going into U.S. 231 improvements have pushed the timeline back.
The entirety of the first tier is not expected to be completed until late 2022, or even early 2023. That being said, the RDA is still expecting a route recommendation from the Lochmueller Group in April of this year.
Once the Tier 1 study is finished, whether in 2022 or 2023, public hearings will be held for input from community members. That feedback process is expected to take up to six months, potentially not concluding until Fall of 2023.
The final recommendation from the Lochmueller Group would illustrate a pathway, though it would not designate what type of roadway would be used, or which existing roads may be affected. The Mid-States Corridor Project would then move onto a Tier 2 study.
The process began with 10 potential routes and 28 alternatives, which were narrowed down to the current five routes options and ten alternates.
Third Courtroom Judge
On Monday, the Council also heard a proposal from Judges Verkamp and McConnel to add a third Courtroom Judge.
The Judges noted that before a proposal for an additional judge could be sent to the state, a submitted packet would need to be passed through a study committee, beginning a process which could take years.
Judge McConnell cited that Dubois County is the largest county in the state of Indiana to only have two judges on the bench. His hope is that adding another judge would "bring us up to speed".