Starke County Officials Present Five-Year Strategic Infrastructure Plan

Posted on March 27, 2017
Author Mary Perren, WKVI

Updating routes into the Knox Industrial Park and improving access to potential growth areas in Hamlet are among the priorities outlined in Starke County’s five-year strategic infrastructure plan. It serves as a blueprint for the use of County Economic Development Income Tax (CEDIT) funds, along with money from the state.

The Starke County Highway Department and Starke County Economic Development Foundation looked at areas most likely to be developed and evaluated needs in those locations.

Plans for Knox include upgrading the intersection of Division Road and 300 East/Klockner Drive, extending utilities to that area and extending the county lead track. The reconstruction of 300 East from State Road 8 to Division Road is also on the major projects list for 2019.

In the Hamlet area, the county is looking to reconstruct the intersection of 500 North and 750 East, along with both roadways just east of Norton Packaging to provide easier access to U.S. 30. Hamlet is seen as a potential growth area, but Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver says water and sewer services will need to be extended in order to capitalize on that potential. He says industry site selectors are looking for shovel ready properties that will require minimal infrastructure investment on their part. A Hamlet East Sanitary Sewer utility extension is on the plan for 2018.

The five-year plan also includes the resurfacing of Arlington Avenue in North Judson and the addition of shoulders to the road. It serves as the main access point to the town’s industrial park. Land acquisition and utilities for a new North Judson Industrial Park are also in progress, according to information shared last week with the Starke County Commissioners. No timeline was set for construction.

Other projects on the list include improving the intersection of Old State Road 10/600 South and CR 210 at Bass Lake, the realignment of State Road 10 from 700 East to U.S. 35 and total reconstruction of 600 East from State Road 8 to 25 North.

The county is also eyeing future construction of a bike and walking trail along State Road 10.