Charles M. Bartholomew, Post-Tribune Correspondent
PORTAGE -- A regional planning committee has unanimously endorsed a call by the Cline Avenue Coalition for immediate action to demolish the failing highway superstructure and implement 18 short-term measures to handle diverted traffic.
Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission Executive Director John Swanson suggested the endorsement following the presentation of the coalition's recommendations by Christopher Murphy, vice president of American Structure Point. Murphy has been working with the coalition and mayors of Gary, Hammond, East Chicago, and Whiting to find a solution for the closure of the highway.
Murphy said re-establishing Cline is critical, not only for the trucks traveling to and from the area's heavy industry, but for the casinos whose business could be harmed by losing customers who don't want to deal with the detours.
"The Ameristar East Chicago Casino Hotel and the Majestic Star Casinos practice in a business where customers are sensitive to convenience ... gaming revenues lost by inconvenience are also revenues lost to the cities of East Chicago and Gary," said the Feb. 28 letter from the four mayors to Indiana Department of Transportation Chief of Staff Robert Zier.
The letter also points to the $4 billion being spent on improvements to the BP refinery and ArcelorMittal's expectations of continuing to operate and add jobs.
The letter calls for construction using the design/build process within the existing right-of-way to avoid delays due to land acquisition and rebuilding the 110-foot-high bridge over the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal at the lowest possible elevation.
Murphy said short-term improvement needs are mainly resurfacing, intersection improvements, and traffic signal re-timing on and near the designated detour to address the safety issues from truck traffic that is using the route.