Vincennes city meetings include a parking squabble, and the Heritage Trail going nowhere for now…..

vincennes-city-hall-2-4

 


 

PARKING SQUABBLE

A dispute over parking led to heated words at yesterday’s Vincennes Board of Works Meeting.

The fight involves a handful of parking spaces located on the Perry Street side of Clark’s Crossing.

Some Tenants from the apartment complex and members of St. John’s Episcopal Church became embroiled in an argument over use of the the spaces this past Sunday.

Tenants say they park along the side streets, even though their is adequate parking for their use on Sixth Street across from the apartment complex. They claim they do so because they’ve nearly been hit while crossing the street.

Jim Luking, an elder at St. John’s says there are members of their congregration who are elderly and unable to walk very far themselves. The Board of Works had posted signs designating the north side of the block for church parking only.

Mayor Joe Yochum agreed to sit down with the two parties and the owners of Clarks Crossing to see if some sort of compromise can be worked out.


 

 HERITAGE TRAILS WOE

The City of Vincennes has suffered a setback in its efforts to build a Heritage Trail through the city’s historic corridor.

City Engineer John Sprague says they only received one bid on the project and it came in 15 percent higher than the original cost estimate. He says the project will have to be re-bid next month with construction not expected to begin until November.

Sprague added he plans on replacing some of the materials called for in the design specs with less expensive options. He hopes that will make it more enticing for contractors to submit a bid.

The trail will start at Culbertson Boulevard and end where it connects with Hart Street. The trail will include park benches, shrubbery and street lighting.

The city received a one million dollar grant through the Indiana Department of Transportation several years ago to build the trail which has undergone several design changes over the years.


 

 CITY GETTING ADA COMPLIANT

 

Future installation of curbs, sidewalks and driveways in the city of Vincennes will meet guidelines required under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Members of the city council last night amended the city ordinance governing the removal and replacement of paving in the city.

Mayor Joe Yochum says the city will be required to use materials making all curbing handicapped accessable . He says that also applies to contractors working city streets.

The curbs must include a detectable warning strip of the cast iron variety or equal material approved by the city engineer.

The council passed the ordinance on all three readings.