Wayne County’s commissioners plan to add 95 vehicle parking spaces at the county’s fairgrounds.
They received a drainage report from Brandon Sanders, the county engineer, and Mike Sharp, the county highway supervisor, during the Oct. 15 commissioners meeting. The lot would be east of First Bank Expo Hall.
Runoff water would be diverted to three grass strips, then into catch basins and finally to an existing retention basin that would be expanded. The next step is to receive costs for tree removal, relocation of utility poles, and the drainage supplies and work, which highway department personnel would handle.
Sharp said the department could have gravel in place this year still or early next spring. The gravel would then sit and settle for a year before the lot would be paved during spring 2027.
Even with 95 additional spots, parking would be tight for larger events at either First Bank Expo or First Bank Kuhlman Center, let alone when the buildings host simultaneous events. Commissioners again mentioned it’s also possible to create a gravel lot across Salisbury Road in the grass field used annually for fair parking.
Bridge projects
Sanders provided good news about upcoming bridge projects that the Indiana Department of Transportation let Oct. 8. Both projects received bids less than the engineer’s estimated project cost.
According to INDOT’s report, replacing the Bridge Avenue bridge over the west fork of the Whitewater River was estimated at just more than $2.5 million. Beaty Construction of Boggstown bid the lowest of three bidders at $2,025,285, which would save $513,388. The project is a 60-40 split between INDOT funds and county funds.
Sanders received commissioner and Wayne County Council approval to transfer $500,000 into the Bridge Avenue bridge’s budget line item, providing enough to cover the county’s share.
Another project replaces two adjoining Richmond Avenue bridges that span the east fork of the Whitewater River and Sheridan Street. Beaty again was the lowest of three bids at $1,720,578.74, which is $358,120.16 less than the estimated cost of just more than $2 million.
That project is an 80-20 split between INDOT and the county for the span across the river, while the shorter span across Sheridan Street is fully funded by the county.
Driveway permit
Commissioners heard an appeal from Josh Wampler after his request for a driveway permit was denied.
Wampler received a variance in April from the county’s Board of Zoning Appeals to sell cars from his property at 6432 Manning Road, which is south of Economy. He installed a second driveway before learning he needed a permit. The permit was denied, because at the 55 mph speed limit, a 400-foot sight distance is needed. To the north, the sight distance is 295 feet because the road dips.
Commissioners asked Sharp to conduct a speed study in the area and said they would look themselves at the area before reconsidering the appeal during a future meeting.
Board appointment
Theresa Lindsey was unanimously appointed by commissioners to serve on the redevelopment fund board.
A version of this article appeared in the October 22 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.