PORTER -- The Redevelopment Commission took a toongue lashing Tuesday from about a dozen Indiana Avenue residents who said they had never been notified of public meetings about the town's bike trail that is set to run down their street.

Rebecca Burch raised concern for the safety of her six children if the 8-foot wide path is to cut into her front yard.

Bill Donley said the trail could destroy the character of the neighborhood. He said he had never heard of public bike trails that went through people's front yards.

Gary Cutter asked if residents would be compensated for trees that will come down to accommodate the path and for scratches to cars parked alongside the path. He said that no one along the street had been solicited for input on the plans.

The complaints echoed those made by residents of Beam Street four weeks ago when Beam appeared to be the choice for the route. Further surveying work determined that Indiana Avenue offered the widest right of way for placement of the path.

Two weeks ago, the commission gave project engineers the Duneland Group the go-ahead to start engineering work, with Indiana as the downtown route.

The plan would leave Indiana with two-way traffic its entire length, parallel parking on both sides, curbs and sidewalks where none existed before and the 8-foot wide concrete hike/bike path along the north side.

Commission President Bill Sexton said Indiana Avenue was the best alternative for the downtown leg that is required by the $1.9 million in federal grant garnered by the previous council.

"While it's not the emotional choice, it's the logical choice," he said.

In response to one resident's suggestion, commission member Paul Childress said moving the trail to the alleyway behind the Indiana Avenue houses was not out of the question.

Sexton said that if the federal grant money was returned, it would be unlikely the town would ever be able to secure any other grants. According to Childress, the town has already spent between $25,000 and $30,000 of the 20 percent match it must provide.

The trail will be back on the agenda at the commission's next meeting May 25.

Brian Williams can be reached at [email protected] or (219) 462-5151, ext. 348.