The Hammond City Council says it remains committed to plans for a railroad overpass in Hessville. Council members passed a resolution Monday reaffirming their support for the Governors Parkway project.
It aims to avoid tearing down homes by building a curving roadway through undeveloped land. But opponents worry that the project would destroy the Briar East Woods and sand dunes, and that it's too far away from schools to improve safety. A group has been speaking against the project at council meetings and Mayor's Night Out events.
But Mayor Tom McDermott Jr. said turning back now would be a massive mistake. "I think generations will laugh at this body, if we say this is a bad idea," McDermott told council members. "Generations of Hammond residents will laugh at us."
He argued that the overpass would solve the problem of stopped trains that's been plaguing Hessville for a century, without the need for local funding. The cost would be covered by state and federal grants, along with the city's share of federal American Rescue Plan money.
Council member Barry Tyler Jr. acknowledged that the project could impact the ecosystem, but he was hopeful that enough of the woods would remain for people to enjoy. "We've spent a lot of time talking about this, so maybe more people will come out, and maybe we'll be able to get the rest of the woods marked as a historical landmark or something like that," Tyler said. "Like, hopefully this just starts that conversation, so that we can preserve it."
But one of the project's leading opponents, resident Ken Rosek, rejected that line of thought. He accused city leaders of trying to open up more land for development.
"This is a destruction project, O.K.? There's not going to be anything left," Rosek said.
But several council members felt the majority of their constituents support the project. President Dave Woerpel said that trains blocking traffic also harm the environment and impact public safety.
"I don't know how many of you can say you've sat in a car listening to your grandson on the phone because his dad is dying, and he's crying, saying, 'Something bad is going on here. My dad's sick. Get here, grandma and grandpa! Get here, grandma and grandpa!' and I'm caught by a damn train!" Woerpel said.
Others noted that there are also plans to build a pedestrian bridge closer to schools, but Mayor McDermott declined to elaborate during the meeting.
