By Dave Stafford
The Herald Bulletin
ANDERSON, Ind. —
The Board of Public Works voted Tuesday to borrow $170,000 to build a trail that will give Chesterfield emergency responders access that will be lost when Mounds Road inside Anderson Municipal Airport property closes.
“The (Federal Aviation Administration) ordered us to shut the road some time ago,” Works Board Chairman Greg Graham said. An agreement was later reached in which the road would stay open until a trail could be built, he said.
An agreement between Anderson and Chesterfield dates back at least seven years, Graham said. Since then, Mounds Road inside Anderson Municipal Airport property has fallen into disrepair because of its expected closing after the FAA required the perimeter of the airport be fenced.
The new trail is designed to be 10 feet wide and run behind American Legion Post 408 before connecting back to Mounds Road outside the airport.
City engineer Mike Spyers said the trail is designed for emergency vehicles but would be closed to other vehicles. Graham said pedestrians and bicycle traffic would be allowed.
Graham said the order to close the road to traffic stems from an order by the Department of Homeland Security.
Though the project has been in the works for years, it is a part of a larger agreement between Anderson and Chesterfield officials on matters in which the two municipalities have common interests. “We felt like we needed to keep our word,” Graham said.
Spyers said there remains right of way to acquire for the trail, but he said the project is expected to be completed in September 2011.
The board approved the loan quote that provided the lowest interest rate over three years, from MainSource Bank. The loan offered a rate of 3.12 percent and three annual payments of $60,393. “This is a good example of shopping around with local banks,” board member Shirley Weatherly said.
Graham said the loan would be repaid with food and beverage tax money.
Contact Dave Stafford: 648-4250, dave.stafford@heraldbulletin.com
