Mount Vernon News

MOUNT VERNON — The city got some encouraging signs recently about moving the bowstring truss bridge from Bladensburg to Foundation Park, according to Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Mavis.

Mavis, Safety-Service Director Dave Glass and City Engineer Cameron Keaton all met with Brett Dingey of Dingey Moving Inc. at the Mill Road site of the bridge. Dingey felt they could move the bridge in one piece, by building a transport for it, jacking up one edge of the bridge, placing it onto rollers and rolling it onto the transport.

The most difficult part of transporting the bridge will be the corner from Jug Run Road to Ohio 546, according to Mavis. The bridge will then be placed on a temporary foundation at the park, where the city can fix it up and prepare the site for its arrival.

“We’re encouraged,” said Mavis. “They thought the bridge would tow fairly easily. They’ll brace it so there won’t be the threat of collapse.”

The city is also looking at using volunteers from United Precast to help with the move, which may offset some of the cost.

City officials also met with officials from Knox Community Hospital on the proposed connector road from Yauger Road to Coshocton Avenue. Mavis talked with Chief Executive Officer Bruce White, chairman of the board Gordon Yance and maintenance supervisor Ron Stull about using the two current hospital entrances and building a road between them that will travel between KCH and Lowe’s. Mavis said they will take the drawings back to their board and then give feedback on the project.

Mavis said the city has completed the asbestos assessment in the old Connell’s Furniture building and the former Rivers’ Edge building at 301 W. Gambier St. There was a little asbestos found at Rivers’ Edge, but Mavis hopes the building will be torn down within a month. Connell’s will be torn down sometime next spring. The buildings will be torn down in anticipation of the Sandusky Street extension project, which Mavis hopes to be able to work on in the next 10 or so years.

A precast meeting will be held next week for the beginning of the Blackjack Road improvement project, Mavis said, and the Curtis Street brick revitalization project should also begin next week.

Mavis said city council will be considering legislation soon that would change the designation of East High Street between Stevens and Park streets. The ordinance would say that East High is not a through highway, and would thus allow council to consider reducing the speed limit there in the future.

That is one part of the safety issue the city is considering for that part of the street. New lines have also been painted, and new signs erected at George Street, allowing for a safer crossing of High Street for students at East Elementary.

“We’re trying to make sure it’s safe for the children by creating a single crossing point and making it more visible,” said Mavis.

Mavis also noted the final day for the city’s cleanup program will be Saturday, Sept. 6. Items may be taken to Allied Waste/BFI Waste Systems, 107 Tilden Ave., Mount Vernon, from 8 to 11:30 a.m. City residents will pay 50 percent and the city will pay 50 percent.

The pool season is also coming to a close. The pool will be open weekdays from 4 to 7:30 p.m. and regular hours on the weekend. Its final day of operation this summer will be Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 1