ELKHART — Repair of a crumpled guardrail at a major intersection on Elkhart’s north side apparently was delayed in part because of out-dated mapping software used by the city.

A spokesman for the Elkhart Police Department said the guardrail at the intersection of C.R. 6 and Johnson Street on the city’s north side will be repaired possibly within days.

According to Elkhart Assistant Police Chief Tim Balyeat, the guardrail on the southeast corner of the intersection was damaged more than two years ago.

The guardrail is intended to protect a traffic pole and serves as a buffer to a Mutual Bank branch office property.

Much of the guardrail near the intersection appears virtually flattened, making it possible for a vehicle to drive over it. As a result, the traffic pole is left vulnerable.

City officials were apparently under the impression that it fell outside of the city’s jurisdiction. However, a representative of the Elkhart County Highway Department said it was clearly within the city’s right of way.

Jeff Taylor, manager of transportation for the Elkhart County Highway Department, said he’s familiar with the intersection and said it became part of the city when the city annexed two adjacent properties a few years ago.

According to Taylor, the city annexed the parcel at the northeast corner of the intersection in 2005 and the property to the southwest in 2011.

Balyeat, armed with the annexation information, looked into the issue further and confirmed it is in fact city property.

He said the misunderstanding stemmed from an outdated GPS mapping software.