A Z-gate crossing will be installed at the Calumet Road railroad tracks in Chesterton’s downtown to improve pedestrian safety.
Chesterton’s Redevelopment Commission, which is made up of the five Town Council members, chose the Z-gate option during the Monday meeting before the council session.
The town decided it needed to do something to enhance pedestrian safety at the prominent downtown railroad crossing because a 60-space parking lot was recently developed at nearby Grant Avenue. The new lot has become popular with those who attend the European Market, which operates on Saturdays in the downtown, May through October.
The Feb. 28 death of a 70-year-old male bicyclist at the Calumet Road railroad crossing also brought the issue into focus.
All five commission members were in agreement that the perpendicular configured Z-gate crossing, for $350,000, was the best option.
The Lochmueller Group was authorized to begin the process, which may take up to two years to complete. Assistant Town Engineer Matt Gavelek said the reason why the process takes two years is the town has to go through an extensive permit process because the project involves working around railroad tracks.
Councilwoman Erin Collins, D-2nd, said she felt the perpendicular Z-gate crossing design was the best safety choice, though it is costly.
The Z-gate crossing would funnel pedestrians from the parking lot to walk in a zig-zag way, forcing them to look both ways while crossing the tracks south into the Thomas Centennial Park. Collins said the cheaper option mostly involved painting a crosswalk, but the Z-gate forces a pedestrian to look left and right.
Councilman James Ton, R-1st, said that it’s important to be cost-conscious, but the longer he considered the options, it became clear that the Z-gate was the way to go.
“It’s better to do it right than to do it fast,” Ton said.
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Council also unanimously decided that it would retain the Harris, Lukmann & Welsh law firm to continue handling the town’s legal affairs, which it has done for 45 years.
Council decided after putting out a request for proposal and interviewing several law firms. Councilwoman Jennifer Fisher, R-5th, who is an attorney herself, in February advocated for the council to reconsider its contractual arrangement for legal representation. Fisher wanted the contract to be on a fixed-rate basis.
The contract calls for the town to pay a monthly $9,840 fixed-rate retainer fee for services rendered to the town.
Fisher said she is satisfied with the new contract and that it’s a “much better arrangement.”
Connor Nolan from the firm will serve as the town attorney. Nolan has served as an associate town attorney for years. Chuck Lukmann, who had been town attorney for 45 years, stepped aside in February from the job.
Council also approved the hiring of the London Witte Group to prepare a fiscal plan for the proposed annexation of 70 acres in Liberty Township, which are part of the Brassie Golf Club property, into Chesterton.
PMM Chesterton, owners of the golf course, want to put a housing development on the golf course property, which covers 200 acres. Fisher said she has spoken with the developers and they appreciate the input received and want to go forward. At a May meeting of the Advisory Plan Commission, three members raised questions about the proposed housing density.
The fiscal plan part of the annexation projects what the costs would be for the town to serve the new property. PMM Chesterton will pay for the contract with the London Witte Group.
Councilman Dane Lafata, D-3rd, said he believed that the 70 acres should have been within the town limits years before when the Brassie Golf Club was operating.
Jim Woods is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.