Unofficial Lake Monroe boat ramp gets improvementsBy Carol Kugler 331-4359 |
ckugler@heraldt.comVisitors to Lake Monroe may notice a change while driving on Stipp Road. The unofficial boat ramp known as Cartop now has a guard rail with 5-foot openings to allow people to carry in their boats but keep out vehicles. That includes trailers that used to launch larger boats from that area.
“First and foremost, the Cartop area of Lake Monroe has not closed,” said Jim Roach, property manager at Lake Monroe. “It will still be open to visitors.”
The picnic tables and parking for vehicles is still accessible, Roach said.
The guard rails were installed after state officials were asked to look at all areas near Lake Mornoe where someone could drive off into the lake, Roach said. The request was prompted after a person drove into another Indiana reservoir and drowned, he said.
“This road has a 90-degree turn, which, if you’re not acquainted with the area, you could drive off,” Roach said. In 2008, three people have driven into the lake at Cartop: Two vehicles got stuck in the mud in shallow water, and the person in the third vehicle was able to exit her car even though it went deeper into the water, Roach said.
Roach said several people have called him, angry about the changes at Cartop. He has informed them that the area is still open for use, but if people have bigger boats, they can go to Moore’s Creek boat ramp, which is just over five miles from Cartop.
“Most of our main recreational areas have been redesigned to lessen the direct drive-offs,” Roach said.
Rumble strips and other traffic calming devices have been used at other boat ramps at Lake Monroe. The new Fairfax boat ramp has an angled turn vehicles must negotiate before they launch a boat and at Paynetown, officials have “diverted the traffic to lessen the drive-off issues,” Roach said.
“There are still several locations where more will be done,” he said. Those improvements could include flashing lights or more rumble strips, he said.
“Public safety is our No. 1 concern,” Roach said. “But we try to maintain public access.”
“We really strongly feel that the benefits will outweigh the consequences,” Roach said.
