City council members said Monday they might use County Economic Development Income Tax funds on four major road projects.

Skip Kuker, president of the Logansport-Cass County Economic Development Foundation, outlined a proposal to spend CEDIT money to extend Lexington Drive, study the feasibility of an 18th Street overpass from the Hoosier Heartland to Jefferson Street and partner with the county to improve Chase Road.

“The council has been very frugal with these funds over the past five years, and we are now looking at proper economic development programs to expend these funds for economic development purposes,” said Kuker, who is projecting a CEDIT balance of $2.5 million by year’s end.

Total expenditures on the proposals would be more than $637,000, which includes hiring APPIAN, a lobbyist in the transportation industry. Kuker said APPIAN would give the city a better chance of landing major state and federal funding.

“I’ve never been a big fan of having to do this, but this is how these things get done,” Kuker said.

The two-year contract would be between the city, the county and APPIAN. For the first year, the city would pay a $48,000 retainer fee, which does not include any ancillary charges. The county would pay for the second year.

“What we’re trying to do is go back out and get more federal and INDOT grant funding that we can tap into,” Kuker said.

He said Logansport and Cass County needed the services of someone who is involved and knowledgeable at the state and federal levels to carry forward proposals from the local level. APPIAN is well respected in the transportation industry, Kuker said, and is involved in the U.S. 31 project from Indianapolis to South Bend.

Kuker proposed that LEDF monitor the expenses and work of APPIAN.

“To find out where the money is being spent?” Council member Kerry Worthington asked.

Kuker said yes.

APPIAN is needed for Chase Road and the 18th Street Corridor projects.

Logansport has already received $350,000 in earmark money for work toward the 18th Street rail crossing study. To get the money, it must put up $87,500, about half of which Kuker suggested could come from CEDIT and the other half from the remainder of a north-south corridor study.

The 18th Street project is in its early stages. So far, it entails talks of an overpass or underpass at the railroad crossing near Transco. The purpose is to eliminate a traffic hazard between the Hoosier Heartland and Jefferson Street.

Kuker stressed that the $350,000 would go strictly for studies, a prerequiste for seeking federal funding.

As for Chase Road, Kuker proposed that LEDF pay CrossRoad Engineers $242,400 from CEDIT funds for design and study work. The costs would be split between the city and county at a rate of 40 percent from the city and 60 percent from the county.

“Again, these are for studies,” he said. “This is not buying any right of way. This isn’t putting any pavement down. This is so we can actually have cases that we can build so that we can go to INDOT and Congress for federal funds with these plans, saying this is how we can do it, this is why we want to do it, and that makes our case stronger to try and get more of that federal funding.”

Kuker also proposed allocating $450,000 in CEDIT money to the project to extend Lexington Drive. Earlier this year, the redevelopment commission agreed to support the repayment of that money with tax revenues generated by the development of a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter. Kuker estimated that repaying the loan would take about four years.

The road extension hinges on the proposed supercenter.

“If the Wal-Mart is built, we have an opportunity to buy a completed road built to city specs,” Kuker said.

The road would run beside the proposed supercenter and eventually connect Mall and Yorktown roads. City officials say that if the project is completed, the city would be getting quite a deal.

“We’re getting a $2.5 million road for $450,000,” Council President Scott Kraud said.

If Wal-Mart does not build the new store, no money would be taken from CEDIT.

Kuker commented that the project is still possible, but he declined to say more about its status.

Kevin Lilly can be reached at (574) 732-5117, or via e-mail at kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com