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> North end could be "choice area", Andrews North End Plan discussion
Dave
post Feb 2 2008, 02:58 PM
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I'm not sure where the N-D got the title for this, but I agree with the title....

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=57378.76

QUOTE

Saturday, February 02, 2008

South Shore Tracks Should Stay On 11th

Richard Murphy

Saturday, February 02, 2008


In recent newspaper articles, NICTD has indicated they'd like to move the South Shore tracks that run through Michigan City's downtown.

Some residents have expressed concerns about the South Shore tracks being rerouted out of Michigan City's downtown and the impact this will have on our city's long-term economic growth potential.

In the recent Andrews University charette, urban designers, architects and transportation consultants, many with national reputations, agreed with the following thesis:

Keeping the rails in the North End of Michigan City by improving them where they are or by moving them north will provide a powerful engine of economic growth; whereas very little economic benefits would accrue by moving the rails to the south.

The support for this thesis is that keeping the rails in the heart of our downtown, walking distance from the downtown neighborhoods and the lake, would allow for a powerful growth phenomenon called Transit Oriented Development to occur. This is a concept that NICTD itself promotes.

A transit-oriented development (TOD) is a mixed-use residential or commercial area designed to maximize access to public transport, and often incorporates features to encourage transit ridership. A TOD neighborhood typically has a center with a train station surrounded by relatively high-density development with progressively lower-density development spreading outward from the center. TODs generally are located within a radius of one-quarter to one-half mile from a transit stop, as this is considered to be an appropriate scale for pedestrians.

Transit-oriented development (TOD) embraces the vision for the North End that has been put forth with the Andrews University North End plan, the Lohan Anderson plan, and the Elston Grove Streetscape plan.

TOD growth doesn't just happen. It must be coordinated and targeted toward potential buyers and developers in the North End. Once we confirm where our train station will be located for the long term, we possess a powerful marketing strategy to bring development to the North End.

I have done extensive research on this issue and would like to offer some facts:

1. NICTD has indicated it has a preference for the option of moving the tracks to the south along Ames Field, a move that benefits NICTD from a cost and operational standpoint.

2. With regard to any relocation of the South Shore tracks, NO decision has been made by the administration of Michigan City.

3. With regard to any relocation or improvements of the South Shore tracks, discussions have just begun to take place within the community.

4. Indiana State Rep. Scott Pelath has recently proposed a funding bill for improvements of the South Shore tracks. These funds could be used for relocation of the tracks to the north or to the south or to improve the existing 11th corridor. The language of the bill remains quite general, and open to all possibilities.

5. There has been no analysis to date performed on how a relocation or improvement of the South Shore tracks would impact Michigan City's economy.

I understand that we must allow NICTD to operate as a viable commuter rail and that there are challenges to its current operations through MIchigan City. The South Shore is a tremendous asset to our community. We need to work with NICTD to overcome these challenges.

But it is important that NICTD and Michigan City residents understand that the North End of Michigan has been identified as one of the most exciting redevelopment opportunities in the United States. The reason for this is the large amount of affordable undeveloped land and intact historic housing stock so close to Lake Michigan and in close proximity to Chicago. In essence, Chicago is virtually walking distance from neighborhoods of the North End of Michigan City by virtue of a commuter railroad running through our downtown.

The dramatic changes we foresee in the North End over the long term are changes that can transform Michigan City and bring more jobs, a larger tax base, and a higher quality of life.

Hence, we have two goals, one a viable commuter railroad, the other a tremendous redevelopment opportunity that could bring prosperity to Michigan City. Surely we can find a compromise where both goals can be realized.

q

Richard Murphy is First Ward councilman in Michigan City.



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Southsider2k12
post Feb 4 2008, 08:05 AM
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Chuck Oberlie weighs in...

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=32755.26

QUOTE
One Way Toward Two Way

Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Mayor Chuck Oberlie's vision for the city's North End is full of drastic changes and proposals that could change the face of Michigan City.

Proposing high-rise buildings on Trail Creek and changing traffic patterns on some of the city's most-traveled thoroughfares, Oberlie's North End plan does what many hoped it would. It makes people talk about the North End in more than just nebulous tones.

"Opinions are always good. We have to weigh a lot of different things when we're thinking about a project like this and it's not something we're just talking about anymore," City Planner John Pugh said. "You get divergent opinions, too, which is always interesting."

One of the major points of Oberlie's vision is changing traffic and parking patterns on Franklin Street. That idea came about, in part, due to studies by the Andrews University Urban Design Studio and the Chicago design firm Lohan Anderson.

Oberlie said in his State of the City address earlier this month that he plans to look closely at turning the northern-most blocks of Franklin Street from one-way to two-way driving.

He also will look into changing parking from diagonal to parallel.

Pugh said plans for Franklin Street are solid and that the city hopes to begin moving on them by the summer.

"Right now the city engineer is putting together a rough sketch showing how this could be done (based on original drawings from 1989 when the street first went one-way)," Pugh said. "Then we'll take the drawings to a contractor and get an estimated cost. It's not a matter of whether we can do it or not, it's a question of finances. The project wouldn't be a problem. We just need to know we can afford it."

Pugh said he hopes to take a plan to the Mainstreet Association by March.

The Franklin Street plan is aimed at making the downtown district more pedestrian and driver friendly. It's a step - officials feel - toward revitalizing downtown by attracting residents and businesses.

It also has been one of the more contested issues in Oberlie's plan. The division can be seen in Automated Data Systems Inc., a small computer business at 618 Franklin St.

"I see people who think it's two-way, anyway. I'm always waiting for the crunch from someone driving down the street the wrong way," said Cheryl McCay, a receptionist at the business. "I'd definitely be open to changing it. We might get more parking and I'd like to see more people walking down here. I could use the company."

Brian Shaffer, a computer tech who sits 15 feet from McCay in the small office, says making Franklin Street two-way would be a disaster.

"You'd see a bunch of accidents. I'll guarantee it," Shaffer said. "People don't even stop at the stop signs now. I just don't think it would be wise to confuse people even more."

Pugh said if the money is there, the project itself would be relatively simple to finish.

Contact Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.
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JHeath
post Feb 4 2008, 09:55 AM
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QUOTE
Oberlie said in his State of the City address earlier this month that he plans to look closely at turning the northern-most blocks of Franklin Street from one-way to two-way driving


Hmm...that sounds vaguely familiar. Now, where have I seen THIS idea before? huh.gif
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Southsider2k12
post Feb 4 2008, 09:59 AM
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QUOTE(JHeath @ Feb 4 2008, 09:55 AM) *

Hmm...that sounds vaguely familiar. Now, where have I seen THIS idea before? huh.gif


I was thinking the samething. I wonder how long it will be until he moves the library? laugh.gif
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Ang
post Feb 4 2008, 10:09 AM
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That's nice that he takes his opponents campaign ideas and uses them to improve his own image.


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Southsider2k12
post Feb 13 2008, 07:12 AM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...;ArticleID=9783

QUOTE
Changing Parking Downtown?

Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - If traffic on Franklin Street is changed to two-way, the current diagonal parking configuration would have to be changed to avoid an expensive and time-consuming widening of the street.

The Michigan City Redevelopment Commission on Monday agreed to hire an engineering firm to study the move, and present a design for the two-way plan.

Part of that design will include a new parking configuration which would likely create diagonal parking on one side of the street and parallel parking on the other, or parallel parking on both sides.

If the city goes with parallel parking on both sides of the street, though, the move would likely reduce parking spaces downtown by half.

"We're looking at diagonal on one side and parallel on the other," Mayor Chuck Oberlie said Monday. "There is an issue of how much parking there will be if we go two-way."

City engineer Bill Phelps said Monday Franklin Street between Fourth and Ninth streets is 57 feet, 6 inches wide, including parking spaces. Angled spots are nearly 19 feet of that on each side, which leaves 10-foot lanes for traffic.

Twelve-foot lanes are recommended for 45-degree parking, Phelps said.

"The alternative is to put 45-degree on one side and 9-foot parallel on the other," Phelps said. "We can't get diagonal on two sides unless we widen the street, which is bad because we'd have to move poles and things."

Phelps said whatever work is done on Franklin Street will likely involve milling and paving work, as well as possibly some new curbing. Oberlie plans to give the present concept to the city's Mainstreet Association for its input.

The downtown group will be an equal partner in the project.



Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.
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Dave
post Feb 13 2008, 12:12 PM
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Franklin Street currently has two lanes with angle parking on both sides. I suppose wider lanes would be prudent if the traffic in the lanes is going in opposite directions.
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mcstumper
post Feb 13 2008, 08:53 PM
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QUOTE(Dave @ Feb 13 2008, 12:12 PM) *

Franklin Street currently has two lanes with angle parking on both sides. I suppose wider lanes would be prudent if the traffic in the lanes is going in opposite directions.


Right. But widening the lanes while keeping angle parking would necessitate a complete overhaul - ripping out everything that is there and starting over with narrower sidewalks. If my math is right, doing what Bill is recommending would result in a loss of only 25% of the parking spaces while allowing the traffic lanes to be widened from 10 ft to almost 15ft. This, and it wouldn't require nearly as much reconstruction.


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lovethiscity
post Feb 13 2008, 09:13 PM
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QUOTE(mcstumper @ Feb 13 2008, 08:53 PM) *

Right. But widening the lanes while keeping angle parking would necessitate a complete overhaul - ripping out everything that is there and starting over with narrower sidewalks. If my math is right, doing what Bill is recommending would result in a loss of only 25% of the parking spaces while allowing the traffic lanes to be widened from 10 ft to almost 15ft. This, and it wouldn't require nearly as much reconstruction.

Common sense makes me ask. With the library blocking the path to and from the lake, where are the vehicles going to come from to go north on Franklin at Fourth Street? It will for the most part remain a one way street. History shows us, that when Mr. Oberlie sets his mind to increasing traffic in an area (Franklin Square) it does not work out very well. On the other hand when he puts in the effort and lots of money to reduce traffic (South Franklin via a five lane highway through a corn field) it doe not work well either. I just hope if anything is done, it gets done right. By the way will somebody please move the library.
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Southsider2k12
post Feb 14 2008, 07:24 AM
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QUOTE(lovethiscity @ Feb 13 2008, 09:13 PM) *

Common sense makes me ask. With the library blocking the path to and from the lake, where are the vehicles going to come from to go north on Franklin at Fourth Street? It will for the most part remain a one way street. History shows us, that when Mr. Oberlie sets his mind to increasing traffic in an area (Franklin Square) it does not work out very well. On the other hand when he puts in the effort and lots of money to reduce traffic (South Franklin via a five lane highway through a corn field) it doe not work well either. I just hope if anything is done, it gets done right. By the way will somebody please move the library.


Perfect post. No one is going to mess around with Franklin St, even as a two way street, when they can go over to Pine and get to whereever they want. If the library is there, there isn't much point.
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Southsider2k12
post Feb 15 2008, 01:34 PM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=52604.78

QUOTE
Make Washington, Pine Two-Way, Too
Nice to see the city willing to make Franklin Street two-way like the Andrews University kids suggested. Now how about the rest of the plan? Do the same for Washington and Pine streets. It wouldn't cost much. After seeing how it works out for six months or so, add tree-lined medians and parkways to make them more pedestrian friendly. I'm not a city planner, just someone who's circled the block a few times trying to find my way home.

Tom Jachimiec

Michigan City
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lovethiscity
post Feb 15 2008, 08:53 PM
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QUOTE(southsider2k7 @ Feb 15 2008, 01:34 PM) *

If we are going to leave the Library where it is, let's change its name to something like "The Franklin Street Tuurn Around"
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mcstumper
post Feb 17 2008, 07:00 PM
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QUOTE(lovethiscity @ Feb 15 2008, 08:53 PM) *

If we are going to leave the Library where it is, let's change its name to something like "The Franklin Street Tuurn Around"


Don't forget that you are going to have to pay to move the News-Dispatch also.


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lovethiscity
post Feb 17 2008, 09:32 PM
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QUOTE(mcstumper @ Feb 17 2008, 07:00 PM) *

Don't forget that you are going to have to pay to move the News-Dispatch also.

The road between City Hall and the News Dispatch is the oirginal Franklin St.
It is ugly but not in the way. A private developer would be in a hurry to get their hands on it. The News Dispatch would surely sell, as they do not need all the space since printing the paper has been outsourced
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mcstumper
post Feb 18 2008, 06:56 PM
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QUOTE(lovethiscity @ Feb 17 2008, 09:32 PM) *

The road between City Hall and the News Dispatch is the oirginal Franklin St.


If you look at a satellite view (Google maps), you will see that the building sits on what would have been the southbound lane of old Franklin St.


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kharris
post Feb 18 2008, 07:34 PM
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QUOTE(mcstumper @ Feb 18 2008, 06:56 PM) *

If you look at a satellite view (Google maps), you will see that the building sits on what would have been the southbound lane of old Franklin St.


Actually it sits right along side of the original Franklin Street. As a kid I delivered the paper and one saturday a month we had to go down and pay our bill. That was when Franklin went all the way to the lake and the building was the same at it is now. City Hall may sit on the north bound lane but but what appears to be the an alley now I believe to be the original south bound lane.
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lovethiscity
post Feb 18 2008, 11:02 PM
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QUOTE(kharris @ Feb 18 2008, 07:34 PM) *

Actually it sits right along side of the original Franklin Street. As a kid I delivered the paper and one saturday a month we had to go down and pay our bill. That was when Franklin went all the way to the lake and the building was the same at it is now. City Hall may sit on the north bound lane but but what appears to be the an alley now I believe to be the original south bound lane.

In other words, plenty of room to go through. But as it was pointed out by Mrs. Winski's plan, that property would be very valuable. The land city hall sits on could be sold for top dallar providing funding to relocate City Hall to an exsisting building or a new one. Hell a woman in the paper recently has a $100,000 house being taxed at $1,300,000 because of the land it sits on.
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Dave
post Feb 19 2008, 05:55 PM
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QUOTE(lovethiscity @ Feb 18 2008, 11:02 PM) *

In other words, plenty of room to go through. But as it was pointed out by Mrs. Winski's plan, that property would be very valuable. The land city hall sits on could be sold for top dallar providing funding to relocate City Hall to an exsisting building or a new one. Hell a woman in the paper recently has a $100,000 house being taxed at $1,300,000 because of the land it sits on.


Hey, I just had an idea as to how to use the Wal-Nart after they close it for the Super Wal-Nart....
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mcstumper
post Feb 19 2008, 08:21 PM
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QUOTE(lovethiscity @ Feb 18 2008, 11:02 PM) *

Hell a woman in the paper recently has a $100,000 house being taxed at $1,300,000 because of the land it sits on.


I am a charitable guy, so I will make a deal with her. I will pay the cost to have her house picked up and moved to the lot that my house sits on. I will have my house torn down and out of the way. Then she will only have to pay taxes on her $100k house and the $25k lot. Heck, I will even take that tax monster lot of hers off of her hands free of charge. Since all she cares about is being able to live in that house, she should jump at the opportunity, right?


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lovethiscity
post Feb 19 2008, 10:51 PM
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QUOTE(Dave @ Feb 19 2008, 05:55 PM) *

Hey, I just had an idea as to how to use the Wal-Nart after they close it for the Super Wal-Nart....

CITY HALL-NART? Hmmmm kind of has a catchy ring to it!
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