Residents packed the Sixth District Mayor's Night Out to press city officials on the Governor's Parkway/bridge project through Briar East Woods and the project's effect on Hessville's trees, wildlife and quality of life.

Resident speakers urged limiting tree removal and protecting the remaining woods, and several asked the mayor to commit the city to keeping parcels as parkland rather than clearing acreage for housing. A resident cited a grant application that previously included a plan for residential lots and said the inclusion had heightened distrust. "Will you commit to protecting the remaining acres of Briarice Woods as a park and not a subdivision?" a resident asked; the mayor said he had removed controversial housing language from public materials but would not make categorical future land-use commitments.

City engineer Dean and other staff described the project's process: INDOT is the lead agency, the grant and environmental review have had administrative snafus, and NURPC must reinstate the project on the statewide transportation plan before property acquisition and final environmental approvals can proceed. Dean said, if schedule holds, property acquisition could begin in early 2026.

The mayor highlighted a key safety argument: closing two active road crossings (Arizona and Parrish) and creating quiet zones would stop trains from having to blow horns at those crossings. "If there's a train going through Hessville, it no longer has to blow its horn when it goes by Arizona and by Parrish," he said, adding that reduced horn blasts would improve residential quality of life in those neighborhoods.

Fire and police department leaders told the audience that stopped trains can materially increase emergency response times. A fire official said that under the best rerouting conditions response from the nearby station to a location blocked by a train could be 10 minutes, compared with sub-4-minute responses under normal conditions. Chief of Police William Short said rerouting via major arterials can make some trips significantly slower.

The mayor acknowledged the controversy and said he would proceed cautiously but remained committed to the project because he believes it will reduce frequent horn blasts for many residents. He urged continued public engagement and said any further environmental or design concerns should be submitted through formal comment channels.