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St. Joseph County commissioners approve AEP easements, utility reimbursement and design amendment for road projects
Summary
The Board of Commissioners approved two American Electric Power easements for the Divergent Diamond Interchange, a $9,157.98 reimbursable utility agreement with Kankakee Valley REMC for Walnut Road over Potato Creek bridge, and a $12,920 contract amendment with Lochmuller Group for a Douglas–Bittersweet intersection project; all motions carried.
The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners on May 12 approved a package of infrastructure items from the Department of Infrastructure Planning and Growth, including two American Electric Power easements needed to deliver power for traffic signals at the proposed Divergent Diamond Interchange and several related utility and design actions.
Bill Shaleo, the county's economic development director, told commissioners the two AEP easements cover parcels at the northeast corner of State Road 2 and Larison/Lisonbee Boulevard and are needed so AEP can place poles and run power to traffic signals for the Divergent Diamond Interchange project. "They need these easements so that they can legally put the power where they'd like to put it," Shaleo said.
The board also approved a reimbursable utility agreement with Kankakee Valley REMC for the Walnut Road over Potato Creek federal-aid bridge project. Skye Metters of the Department of Infrastructure Planning and Growth said the agreement spells out relocation and reimbursement terms and confirmed the reimbursement amount: "The cost of that reimbursement's $9,157.98." The agreement was approved by motion and vote.
Metters also presented contract amendment number 3 to the preliminary engineering agreement with Lochmuller Group for an intersection improvement at Douglas and Bittersweet. She said preliminary design work identified potential conflicts with a major NIPSCO facility and that redesign reduced the extent of NIPSCO relocation, lowering overall relocation costs; the amendment increases the consultant fee by $12,920 to cover the additional design work. Metters noted construction of a roundabout is planned to start in 2027.
Each of the items was included on motions brought before the board and approved by recorded voice votes. The meeting record shows motions were seconded and the board carried each action.
The infrastructure approvals were taken as part of the Department of Infrastructure Planning and Growth consent and regular agenda. No formal objections or amendments to the three primary motions were recorded during the meeting.
Next steps identified in the discussion include document signing for the AEP easements and continued coordination with utilities and consultants on relocation and construction schedules.
