The St. Joseph County Drainage Board on Tuesday conditionally approved the City of Mishawaka’s request to install a 5-by-4 box culvert, 76 feet long, across lateral No. 1 of the Quogue Willard Ditch as part of the Veterans Parkway extension.

Kevin Seblecki, who identified himself and gave the project address (SEG 107), told the board the structure will be sumped about 6 inches to preserve the natural channel bottom and that the city has submitted a hydraulic report to the county engineer and is pursuing required state and federal permits. “We’re just here to request approval of this 5 by 4 box culvert,” Seblecki said.

Board members said the city will pay for and publicly bid the work and that the city expects to hire an engineering firm to inspect installation. The board discussed inspection roles and named Lawson Fisher as the likely engineering inspector. The board’s motion approved the crossing subject to county engineering’s final hydraulic review and any additional comments from the county engineer’s office.

The conditional approval leaves additional items—utility extensions under the ditch and final drainage basin plans—pending, with the city expected to return with permit applications and additional documentation at a future meeting. Seblecki said those utility and drainage details would be provided at the next meeting when the city is more prepared to submit full permit materials.

Next steps: the county engineer will complete a hydraulic review and communicate any required changes; the board’s action is contingent on that review and on the city obtaining other necessary permits.