Acquired land must be mowed

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August 18, 2009

Anonymous The Kokomo Tribune Tue Aug 18, 2009, 09:43 PM EDT

THE ISSUE:Weeds and overgrown grass on properties acquired by the state and federal governments.

OUR VIEW:City and county officials must contact the Indiana Department of Transportation about the blight caused by eminent domain.

By now, Howard County residents – particularly those who live east of Kokomo – know work has begun on the “bypass to the bypass.”

An underpass currently under construction at Southway Boulevard (County Road 200 South) should be finished at the end of the year. Once it’s complete, Boulevard (County Road 100 South) will be closed for an interchange.

Meanwhile, a bridge is going up on Carter Street (County Road 50 North) and the purchase of property continues along the 12-mile corridor for the $350 million project.

Several properties along Ind. 22/U.S. 35, east of the Conkle Pontiac property and Morning Star Church, have been purchased for construction of an interchange. It’s easy to pinpoint its exact location.

Just look for the weeds and overgrown grass west of County Road 300 East. The appearance of Kokomo’s eastern gateway is atrocious.

Upkeep of these properties is not the responsibility of the former property owners, the City of Kokomo or Howard County. Our state and federal governments are the owners of record.

Still, we urge Mayor Greg Goodnight and the Howard County commissioners to contact the Indiana Department of Transportation concerning the blight caused by eminent domain. Can’t the state contract for lawn-mowing services? Would INDOT pay for Howard County’s inmate work crew to cut the grass and weeds?

Construction of the Kokomo Corridor is expected to last through at least 2014. We hope visitors and residents east of the city won’t have to put up with unsightly yards along Ind. 22 for another five years.

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