Getting across U.S. 30 in Dyer without a car can be a challenge, but the idea of a pedestrian bridge is drawing opposition.
Redevelopment commission president Mary Tanis says an overpass would help improve safety, and there's financing available for active transportation projects. "For the kids' safety across Route 30, many of them, they just run across Route 30, and this would be a safety mechanism for them, as well," Tanis said during Thursday's redevelopment commission meeting.
But other members worried that Tanis was pursuing the project without the majority of the commission's support. Bob Starkey said he didn't want to commit taxpayer money to such a project. Jenna Ogrizovich worried it would be an eyesore. And Annette Ludwig questioned whether it would actually improve safety, anyway.
"The kids are going to do what they want to do," Ludwig said. "They're not going to go up there. Or, what I'm afraid of is that the kids are going to go up there and . . . throw bricks down or rocks down."
Still, Mary Timm said she didn't want to close off the option. "Well, when you go on Zillow or anything, they always have 'Is this town walkable? What is the ratio for walkability or bikeability?' Newsflash: we don't rank there — yet. But we want to," Timm said.
In the end, the redevelopment commission voted three-to-two to direct town officials to stop discussing the project with the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission.
However, efforts appear to be moving forward for a crosswalk. Town Manager David Hein told the town council that Dyer is looking to complete the sidewalk along the north side of U.S. 30 between Calumet Avenue and Great Lakes Drive.
"And then at that point, we could notify INDOT that we're in the process of doing that, and we would look to partner with them to get some kind of pedestrian crosswalk in soon near Calumet, near Great Lakes, somewhere in there," Hein explained.
The cost of the new sidewalk segment is estimated to be around $115,000. A formal proposal is expected to be up for the council's approval next month.
