Northwest Indiana Discussion

You hit the nail square on the head this problem did not just pop up and it sure has sweetened the deal for those who leased the Indiana toll road.

They need to put a change counter basket at exit 10 putting quarters in a slot on the wall is slow .

Just to sum up the thread.

Not with a sheep's skin or a 10 ft pole!

The next step is to file a federal lawsuit against the state of Indiana and freeze all federal funds.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6e9_1188418609

This is after they put Cline Avenue demolition before the Bridges of Gary Indiana

Cline closure resulting in some street changes
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January 13, 2010
BY CHELSEA SCHNEIDER, (219) 648-3072
In wake of the Cline Avenue bridge closure, state officials have added signs to area roadways and re-timed street lights in East Chicago to help with traffic flow.

The Indiana Department of Transportation will begin an impact study to identify which roads are handling additional traffic as a result of the shuttered thoroughfare, said Bob Zier, chief of staff for INDOT Commissioner Michael Reed.

Zier told the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission on Tuesday that state officials made the decision to close Cline Avenue before Christmas. Zier reiterated the solution won't be to build the same type of bridge.

INDOT will hold two public meetings on Feb. 9 about the closure at East Chicago Central High School from 3:30-5 p.m. and 6:30-8 p.m.

Engineers told Zier that the bridge was in such bad shape that they couldn't reassure him the expanse had the ability to withstand a traffic accident or a car hitting the siderail.

"That bridge is falling apart inside out," Zier said. "What you can't see is falling apart and that's why that bridge has to come down."

INDOT will review options to handle traffic resulting from the closure. Zier said the exact improvements haven't been tied down but could include additional layers of pavement or adding siderails to roads. State officials believe most through traffic from Cline Avenue is using Interstate 94.

At the meeting, commission member Stan Dobosz expressed the concern that temporary fixes to roadways could become permanent solutions if the state doesn't decide to rebuild Cline. Zier said that INDOT will look to community members to help determine the best solution.

Zier noted a new structure wouldn't need to be as tall or use as much concrete.

"The bridge was designed to handle the traffic below it in the canal, but none of that materialized," Zier said. "Even if that bridge was safe enough to drive on, it would still be obsolete."

Zier also planned to meet with area mayors, casino representatives, the BP Whiting refinery and ArcelorMittal on Tuesday.

Who was first in line complaining about the state of Indiana? It was a citizen of Gary!

Look at the bridges of Gary ,Indiana when the state of Indiana had just leased it's toll road for $3.85 billion dollars.

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http://www.liveleak.com/user/Sconiers

http://www.youtube.com/user/Sconiers

If you want to talk about fair get real look at the dates of these videos !

If you think those bridges should be made into bike trails then so should Cline Avenue!

I have more web sites the world knows !

HAMMOND -- Horseshoe Casino attributes its revenue dip to below $40 million last month more on lucky gamers than the Cline Avenue bridge closure.

In a conference call with the media Monday, Dan Nita, general manager and senior vice president of Horseshoe Hammond, said it is difficult to tell how much of an effect the bridge closure has had at this point. He said slot volume, coin-in and visitor numbers were all up in December compared to the same month in 2008.

The problem, he said, was at the game tables, where the casino held only 13 percent of the money wagered instead of its usual 18 percent.

"A five-point swing on $50 million (the average monthly revenues for the casino) is a pretty substantial fall," Nita said.

"Several people beat us pretty handily," he added.

Horseshoe took in $39.1 million in revenues in December, a slight drop from the $40 million it took in the previous December. Slots were up about $2 million, from $29.4 million to $31.6 million. However, table game revenue dropped from $10.6 million to $7.5 million.

The bridge closure is being blamed for drops in revenue at other casinos along the Cline Avenue stretch. Ameristar took a slight hit last month, dropping from $21.8 million in revenues to $21.4 million. Majestic Star Casinos at Buffington Harbor were hit harder, with Majestic Star I taking in $7.1 million compared to $9.4 million and Majestic Star II taking in $6.3 million compared to $7.0 million. Majestic Star's general manager Larry Buck laid much of the blame on the public's perception that the casinos are inaccessible due to the bridge closure.

Nita did say the economy has had an effect on table trends, including causing an increased demand for mini baccarat games and for less expensive blackjack tables.

Reflecting on an overall good year in 2009, with the casino breaking a state record with $527 million in revenues, Nita said his goal is to increase that number despite the two stumbling blocks -- the economy and the closed bridge.

He plans to achieve this through more aggressive marketing strategies including more television ads and providing more shows at The Venue, its entertainment venue.

Cline demolition will put peregrine falcons out

January 16, 2010

BY CHELSEA SCHNEIDER, (219) 648-3072

When the Cline Avenue bridge is razed, a pair of peregrine falcons could be in the market for a new home.

Peregrine falcons have lived underneath the road, and in some of the bridge's expansion joints, since 1989. The medium-sized hawks are protected as an endangered species in Indiana, though the peregrine falcon was removed from the federal list in 1999.

State officials from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources say biologists may place nesting boxes near the Cline Avenue site to serve as an alternative home for the falcons. Adult peregrine falcons are mostly tied to the site when they nest in March and April, said John Castrale, an Indiana DNR biologist.

Castrale isn't sure whether the Cline Avenue falcons are nesting in a portion of the bridge that could be torn down. He checks on the peregrine falcons every year and their nest has moved from time to time.

The Indiana Department of Transportation permanently closed the bridge in late December but hasn't committed to a timetable for its demolition. Castrale plans to work with INDOT on the timing of the demolition to ensure the falcons aren't disturbed.

"If they lose one nest, it's not a big deal, but we will work to minimize impact," Castrale said. "You can't really move peregrine falcons because they have a mind of their own."

In the past, nesting boxes have proven successful, but Castrale said there's no guarantee the trays will be used.

"If the (peregrine falcons) find that there is a lot of disturbance going on, they'll look for an alternative site," Castrale said.

Spotting the peregrine falcons on Cline is usually a matter of luck for Castrale. He visits the site where they nest, which in recent years has been northwest of the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal, about three or four times on his annual visit before he can spot them.

"You're lucky to see them fly into an expansion joint," Castrale said. "In the more recent years, babies ready to fly have come to the edge of the nesting site to test their wings out."

The Cline Avenue peregrine falcons have used up to two separate nesting sites, said Elizabeth McCloskey with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She has noticed the birds in a large expansion joint near the Dickey Road exit but isn't sure of the second site's location.

"I knew how bad the bridge was about a year ago when we were contacted about repairing it," McCloskey said. "We told them if they were going to do repair work on it you should close off the areas where the peregrines nest."

Though there's no set timetable to demolish the bridge, INDOT wouldn't be able to take the peregrine falcons' section down if the birds were actively nesting because the action would violate the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, McCloskey said.

The end of the Cline Avenue bridge could also spell the end of what Carolyn Marsh of Whiting calls the highlight of her bird-watching career.

For more than 20 years, Marsh has participated in a peregrine falcon watch group at the Cline Avenue bridge.

Knowing the bridge will be demolished gives her a sick feeling.

"We've been watching the peregrines all the way from 1990," Marsh said. "I spent hours out there watching them coming and going in crevices."

Gary is first in line for the stimulus money for bridge demolition !

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ... 1501294412

No sea water salt or frigid temperature. I don't trust the design. those rods under pressure will fail sooner or later. The question is what are there life expectancy?