Trail and road improvements recommended to improve access to Porter Beach
The Butler, Fairman & Seufert firm of Merrillville was hired in 2022 after the town and the Indiana Dunes National Park obtained a $750,000 grant from the Federal Land Access Program. The study focused on improving connectivity from U.S. 20 north to Porter Beach. Porter is also working to extend its trail on Waverly Road north to U.S. 20, creating a link to its downtown area.
Rob Albrecht-Mallinger, the plan commission's chairman, noted that with the South Shore railroad's track upgrade and the ongoing Marquette Greenway project, a trail that will one day stretch from Chicago to New Buffalo, Michigan, the town will see more tourism.
'Porter is extremely well-positioned to be in a web of multiple places to go and places to come from,' Albrecht-Mallinger said.
The goal is to bring people into town with easy access to trails for use by pedestrians and bicyclists, Albrecht-Mallinger said.
Alex Olesker of Butler, Fairman & Seufert envisioned executing the plan in three phases. He didn't share financial figures, but it will run into the millions of dollars. One major construction project would be installing a roundabout at U.S. 12 and Waverly Road, which Olesker said would probably cost around $4 million.
The initial phase would be to put a multi-use trail from Porter Beach on the east side of Wabash Avenue to Roskin Road, crossing before the bend at Waverly Road and then installing a trail on the north side of State Park Road over to Indiana 49.
There are currently no trails on Wabash Avenue to the beach, creating a hazardous situation where pedestrians and bicyclists are on the road.
'Getting down to Wabash from Waverly is really unsafe,' Albrecht-Mallinger said.
The project's second phase would develop a trail on Waverly Road from U.S. 20 north to U.S. 12.
'A lot of people on Waverly Road are excited about a sidewalk, rather than having people walk up the road,' said Michael Barry, Porter's director of development and building commissioner.
Barry said that N. Bailey Road could be used as a shared roadway for bicyclists and pedestrians to access the Dunes-Kankakee Trail, which runs parallel to Indiana 49 from the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center to the Indiana Dunes State Park entrance.
The third phase would be to address the dangerous intersection of Waverly Road and U.S. 12, which has poor sight lines that contribute to crashes.
Olesker said they are recommending a roundabout as the superior option to a traffic signal because it would slow traffic and eliminate the sight line issue.
'A traffic light would not solve the horizontal sight line issues, which are the main cause of accidents,' Olesker said.
The Indiana Department of Transportation would be the main funding source and overseer of a roundabout project.
Olesker said if the funding came earlier, the roundabout project could even coincide with the first phase.
Jim Eriksson, a plan commission member, wondered if a roundabout would work because of all the semi-truck traffic on U.S. 12.
'I am really more concerned about the road and the roundabout, because I don't know how you would get a semi into a roundabout,' Eriksson said.
But Andrea Langille, an engineer from Butler, Fairman & Seufert, said that roundabouts are designed to be capable of handling semi-truck traffic.
The pedestrian/bicyclist path crossing would be placed just east of the roundabout, Olesker said.
Breanna Heath, a bicyclist, said she would never attempt to cross there without a traffic signal.
'I would avoid that whole mess. It's way too scary,' Heath said. She noted that State Park Road or the Calumet Trail, which runs north of the South Shore tracks and is part of the Marquette Greenway, would be a better alternative.
But Olesker noted that a roundabout would slow down traffic considerably.
'Right now, that's an uncontrolled intersection. Speeds are high,' Olesker said.
The last phase of the project would be to widen portions of Waverly Road between U.S. 12 and State Park Road.
Olesker said that much of the pedestrian path would have to be a boardwalk because it is a wetland and the Dunes Creek runs through that parcel.
All of the projects would require the acquisition of 17 acres of right-of-way. However, Olesker said that 14 of the acres identified are owned by the Indiana Dunes National Park.
Another recommendation would be to install a 'Smart Parking' system at Porter Beach, which would be linked to an electronic board that would inform motorists about the parking lot availability.
Overcrowded conditions at Porter Beach and the neighboring Indiana Dunes State Park are an ongoing issue during the summer. Porter Police are frequently called in to help direct traffic.
Barry said that there have been discussions about a shuttle bus that would transport people to the beach, reducing the number of vehicles.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Housing market might need a mindset shift, not another Bank of Canada rate cut, say experts
With few — or no — further Bank of Canada (BoC) rate cuts expected this year, the country's housing market is facing a stark reality: a recovery hinges less on borrowing costs and more on a psychological reset. For activity to resume, experts say buyers and sellers must abandon hopes of a return to super-low rates and accept that current conditions are the new normal. 'As long as they expect things to be better for them if they wait, they're going to wait,' said Tsur Somerville, a professor of real estate finance at the University of British Columbia. Confidence is the main issue, not interest rates, says CIBC economist Benjamin Tal. He argues that the economic uncertainty is profound, driven by weak investment, slowing consumer demand and unresolved trade tensions. 'We are basically very close to a recession. I suggest we are in a recession in Ontario already,' Tal said. That lack of confidence is keeping the market in a deep freeze, even as economists widely expect the Bank of Canada to hold its policy rate steady on Wednesday. While CIBC is calling for two potential cuts later this year, Tal admits it's a 'tough call,' with stubborn core inflation and surprising employment data. By next year, he says, 'you have to start thinking about the Bank of Canada hiking rates, not cutting rates.' This reality is trickling down to buyers, but creating two very different reactions. For some, stability is enough. In May and June, activity picked up in 'hot pockets' of Toronto and Vancouver as some buyers took the central bank's steady tone as a sign of certainty. 'Buyers are using that as, 'That's the confidence I need,'' said Samantha Villiard, a regional vice-president at ReMax Canada. For many others though, the pressure has long been nearly unbearable. Ron Butler, a mortgage broker at Butler Mortgage, says that for middle-class families, the half-a-percent rise in fixed mortgage rates in recent weeks was another deflating moment. Clients tell him: "It's not just this increasing rate. It's everything,' he said. 'It's just an endless kind of crushing affordability context that, you know, you can tell from the sound of their voice that this is like a grievance against them." I believe that higher rates, namely relative to what they were a few years ago, are here to Tal, economist, CIBC Should fixed rates, which have moved into the "low to mid-fours," start heading back towards five per cent, Butler warns the effect would be devastating. 'It will literally crush everyone's dreams.' For those with mortgages renewing, Butler's advice is urgent. 'Go back to every email, every touch point you've ever had from your bank and see if they did offer you a rate that started with a three ... You have to make absolutely sure you might have access to those low rates.' Still, some experts argue that an era of higher rates is a necessary correction. Tal says Canadians were 'spoiled' by historically low rates during the pandemic, which overheated demand. 'I believe that higher rates, namely relative to what they were a few years ago, are here to stay,' he said. 'And that's actually a very healthy situation, because if there was something that was mispriced in the market for a long period of time, it was cash.' If rates hold steady, housing prices might not fall much further — except in the condo segment, which Tal describes as being in a 'deep recession' where pre-sale activity is 'basically dead." Instead, affordability might improve gradually, led by rising wages. 'Every homebuyer is willing to spend up to the maximum they can spend,' said UBC's Somerville. 'So if interest rates stay at this level, then prices will adjust relative to incomes in such a way over time to make housing plausible... The most likely way is prices stay flat while incomes catch up.' Villiard says Toronto's stirring market (outside of condos) has both buyers and sellers 'coming to the table being reasonable,' but a sustained rebound likely depends on macroeconomic clarity — especially on the trade front. 'The catalyst? A decision on the trade negotiations. That is really what we're all waiting to see,' she said. Tal agrees, noting that the Bank of Canada is playing it safe until there's more certainty on tariffs. 'They don't want to take any chances with Trump,' he said. 'They need more information to make a decision.' John MacFarlane is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on X @jmacf. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Indianapolis Star
25-07-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Indiana tolls on I-65? I don't like it, but our crumbling roads need the cash.
When I head to Chicago or Nashville, I know I'll be receiving a tolling invoice in the mail soon after. It's a minor inconvenience because I don't use those routes very often. But the prospect of Indiana tolling interstates within state lines is an entirely different discussion. I take Interstate 65 to and from work almost every day and I would no doubt rack up a ridiculous bill — at the same time that I'm paying high gas taxes every time I fill up. My immediate reaction is: no way. But I'm trying to see all sides of the debate. The fact is Hoosiers love to complain about our roads, but no one wants to pay to improve them. And our roads aren't that bad depending on who you ask. The Indiana Department of Transportation compared Indiana to neighboring states on 12 criteria, including road and bridge conditions, fatality rates, travel reliability and more: 'INDOT ranked in the top 3rd in 5 areas and in the middle 3rd in the others,' the 2024 report said. The federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics also rates 97% of Indiana's roads as 'good' or 'fair.' But a Reason Foundation analysis found Indiana ranked 32nd in highway performance nationally. And the money raised from Indiana's fuel-related taxes simply isn't keeping up with demand. That's partially because people are purchasing less gasoline. Newer cars are more efficient, and some cars don't need it at all. Inflation has also spiked the cost of repairing or replacing roads and bridges. So, Indiana — and every other state — has a diminishing revenue stream but more roads than ever to maintain. And when I say Indiana, I don't just mean state-owned roads. Most of the roads in the state are cared for by counties, cities and towns — about 89%. Their needs are immense. One analysis said local governments would require an additional $2.4 billion annually to eliminate poorly rated local roads and bridges across the state over the next 10 years. The annual price tag for simply maintaining roads at the current condition is $1 billion. So, would any of the additional revenue raised from tolls go to local infrastructure? More from Niki Kelly: Indiana's crackdown on small college programs will drive students away Lawmakers recently tried to think outside the box and offer other options. One was a surcharge on deliveries, such as Amazon and DoorDash. That language was removed pretty quickly. The state is also trying to force local units into implementing wheel taxes to take some ownership of the problem and raise fees and taxes at the local level. But those are honestly just nibbling around the edges of the problem. Tolling is where the money is at. And it's a lot of money. One 2017 feasibility study produced for INDOT estimated that a statewide interstate highway tolling program would have an 85% chance of generating upwards of $39 billion between 2021 and 2050. It further reported a 50% chance that revenue could exceed $53 billion over that timeframe. The estimates didn't include the costs to install and maintain tolling gantries, process payments, provide customer service, enforce collections and more. Former Gov. Eric Holcomb chose not to go down that route, but Gov. Mike Braun appears to be more interested. And lawmakers recently removed some final impediments to imposing tolling on state highways. 'It's going to have to be considered because, otherwise, I don't think we can maintain our main arteries,' Braun said earlier this year. Tolling interstates isn't as clear-cut as it seems. It's generally against federal law to collect tolls on existing federal highways. But Congress has allowed several exceptions. For instance, a state can toll an existing bridge after it is reconstructed and toll new lanes added to an interstate. Briggs: Mike Braun grandstands on Indianapolis crime while murders drop 24% The option that is most expansive is the Interstate System Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Pilot Program, which allows tolling on existing interstate facilities to fund needed reconstruction or rehabilitation on corridors that could not otherwise be adequately maintained or functionally improved. It has only three slots — awarded to Missouri, North Carolina and Virginia years ago. But those states never implemented the program, which has essentially been inactive. INDOT said it has not filed a waiver request on tolling — yet. I honestly don't see how tolling in some way can be avoided. Leaders want to capture the trucks and travelers passing through Indiana without stopping for gas. But it'll be tough to avoid hurting Hoosiers already paying their fair share.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Yahoo
ChatGPT-maker OpenAI brings on former Sen. Laphonza Butler
SAN FRANCISCO — Former Sen. Laphonza Butler is now advising OpenAI, her first known client since the California Democrat left Congress and landed at the global public affairs firm Actum, people familiar with the contract told POLITICO and the ChatGPT-maker confirmed. Tapped by Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein's seat, Butler served just over a year in the Senate to complete the term before returning to her roots as a behind-the-scenes power broker and becoming a partner at Actum. The California Democrat is barred from lobbying for a year as a former member of Congress. It's not clear what issues Butler will be providing guidance on for the AI developer. OpenAI is facing an inflection point in its plans for future growth, hoping contentious changes to a more conventional corporate structure will help the company raise money to keep ahead of cash-slinging competitors. Those plans have run up against fierce resistance from former co-founder Elon Musk and civic leaders, particularly in California, home to the company headquarters and where Butler touts powerful connections with the labor world. Three people familiar with Butler's new gig, granted anonymity to disclose private personnel moves, confirmed it to POLITICO. An OpenAI spokesperson separately told POLITICO Butler is an adviser. The former senator did not respond to a request for comment. Prior to joining Congress in 2023, Butler was a longtime labor leader with the Service Employees International Union and a campaign adviser to former Vice President Kamala Harris. She came to the Senate from the top post at EMILY's List, which seeks to elect female candidates who support abortion rights. OpenAI is not her first industry rodeo. She previously worked in private sector consulting for companies like Uber through the firm rebranded as Bearstar Strategies and later made at least $1 million from Airbnb stock as the short-term rental platform's director for public policy. Butler went into political consulting in 2018 as preparation for Harris' not-yet-unannounced first presidential run. Harris aides and allies told POLITICO earlier this year that she is seriously considering a run for governor in California and gave herself until the end of the summer to decide whether to enter the crowded field. Butler said in a January interview that she would provide Actum clients with strategic consulting services, indicating a special interest in 'the intersection of work and workers with technology and how we can build a society that works for everyone.' She intended to split her time at the firm between Los Angeles and D.C. During her Senate stint, Butler ventured into introducing some bills on artificial intelligence. One directed federal agencies to use the technology to better predict and respond to extreme weather. Another proposed $250 millionin government funding to educate students and upskill marginalized communities for jobs in an AI future. Neither passed that session. The nexus of AI and race has been of particular interest to Butler. It repeatedly featured as a theme in her questions during congressional hearings. She said in late 2023 that the technology is 'already widening preexisting inequities,' but then hosted a panel last fall about how AI can empower Black communities. There, she also reflected on AI's potential to displace workers, telling attendees that 'fewer people are going to be required across broader industries, particularly those in … traditionally white-collar positions.' On a separate but just as thorny issue, Butler celebrated Newsom signing legislation in Sacramento last year, backed by the powerful Hollywood actors' guild SAG-AFTRA and meant to protect performers' digital likeness in the age of AI deepfakes. Still, she has returned to a more bullish view at times, including in one October interview where the then-senator said she wanted to protect Americans without stifling the opportunities that AI could bring. She argued lawmakers don't need to make 'false choices' between the interests of AI executives and workers. She's praised Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and the Biden administration for creating spaces to gather feedback on AI from labor, civil society and community leaders. OpenAI has been stepping up its engagement with those segments in the last few months as it attempts to shift toward a more conventional business structure and curb groups' concerns. In the past year, OpenAI hired at least one other Harris ally. The AI company's global affairs team is staffed by Debbie Mesloh, Harris' old campaign consultant and friend, and Marisa Moret, whose time as chief of staff for the San Francisco city attorney coincided with Harris' as the district attorney. Butler, Moret and Chris Lehane, the Democratic strategist turned OpenAI's vice president of global affairs, all overlapped at Airbnb.
