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Daviess County orders feasibility study for County Road 650 E, considers buggy lanes after Amish outreach
Summary
Lochmueller Group will study upgrades and possible buggy lanes for County Road 650 E after an open-house with the Amish community highlighted safety concerns; commissioners approved the feasibility study unanimously to identify design options and cost estimates.
Daviess County Commissioners on June 23 approved a feasibility study for County Road 650 E to examine safety upgrades and the possibility of adding buggy lanes following outreach to the local Amish community.
Lora Phillippe, client services manager for the engineering firm Lochmueller Group, told the commissioners the firm held an open-house in the Amish community but could not answer many questions without a formal feasibility study. "Without a feasibility study, there were not many answers," Phillippe said, explaining the study would produce cost estimates, design options and locations of greatest risk.
Commission President Michael Keith said the county relies on a heat map to identify high-accident corridors and that County Road 650 E shows concentrated incidents. The study will examine engineering options that could reduce crashes and accommodate horse-drawn vehicles.
The motion to approve the Lochmueller Group feasibility study passed unanimously; the motion was made by Vice President TC Cook and seconded by President Michael Keith. No dollar amount for the study was specified in the meeting materials presented to the commissioners.
Why it matters: County Road 650 E is used by both motor vehicles and horse-drawn conveyances in areas with significant Amish residency. A feasibility study will give the county measurable options and estimated costs before any construction or striping changes are proposed.
What’s next: The feasibility study will be completed by Lochmueller Group to inform future design and funding decisions; the commissioners did not set a completion date during the June 23 meeting.
