Chesterton is taking steps to enhance pedestrian safety for the Calumet Road railroad crossing in the downtown as a new parking lot is being developed nearby.
The Town Council Monday awarded a contract for $28,700 to the Lochmueller Group for the design of a pedestrian crossing improvement at the Calumet Road tracks.
Concerns have been raised about pedestrian safety around the town’s railroad crossings after a bicyclist’s recent death at the Calumet Road crossing on Feb. 28.
It was the third death at a Chesterton railroad crossing since May 9, 2023.
The town is currently developing a parking lot on Grant Street by the North Calumet Road corner, which will open in July.
Those who attend the European Market, held every Saturday May through October, are likely to use the lot and the town wants to ensure pedestrian safety of those who will cross the tracks.
Assistant Town Engineer Matt Gavelek said the Norfolk Southern Railroad crossing would be surveyed this week.
The town put out a request for proposals and Lochmueller was the lowest bidder. Gavelek said the engineer assigned by Lochmueller is highly qualified and has 25 years of experience in designing transportation intersections.
Council also authorized Tina Rongers, the town’s grant consultant, to apply to the U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets program for a $180,000 grant. Councilwoman Jennifer Fisher, R-5th, said if the town is successful in obtaining the grant, it could help with traffic safety issues at the railroad crossings.
Chesterton and the neighboring Porter recently submitted a joint proposal to U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, for a community project federal grant for up to $5.5 million that would address nine railroad crossings along a 1.14-mile corridor.
In other business, the town has received proposals from five law firms that are interested in the contract for the town’s legal work.
The Harris, Welsh and Lukmann law firm, which has represented the town for the past 45 years, is one of the five that has submitted a proposal, Fisher said. Chuck Lukmann, who was Chesterton’s town attorney for 45 years, announced on Feb. 24 that he was stepping aside because he is slowing down his practice.
Connor Nolan is now the town attorney at every council meeting. Chuck Parkinson and Julie Paulson from the firm have also handled legal work for the town.
The Town Council will be interviewing the candidates, starting on May 23.
Fisher, who is an attorney herself, has stated that she wanted to see the town move toward a more fixed rate basis.
Additionally, Councilman James Ton, R-1st, said the town should try again to see what can be done to improve the safety of the east-west crossing of Voyage Boulevard and North County Road 100 East at Indiana 49.
Ton said there had been a previous meeting last year with Indiana Department of Transportation officials about that intersection and nothing resulted. He said he would like the town to arrange another meeting with INDOT to discuss the issues.
The problem is motorists exiting Coffee Creek from Voyage Boulevard, and buses from the nearby Duneland Schools garage on County Road 100 East, regularly pull out onto Indiana 49, raising the potential for crashes.
Ton said he believes there needs to be improved lighting, signage and some type of traffic signalization to make motorists aware.
“People are taking a real chance pulling out from either 100 or Voyage onto (Indiana) 49, ” Ton said. “I don’t see anything good happening. We need to revisit it.”
Jim Woods is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.