Changes proposed for Vine Street in Park Hills

Park Hills leaders are considering making the segment of Vine Street that runs between Hill Street and Church Street one-way and limiting parking along the stretch to one side of the road.

City Council members discussed the topic during a recent work session.

City Administrator Matt Whitwell said he expects council members to be presented with an ordinance concerning the proposed changes at the next council meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The goal is to improve traffic flow on the section of Vine between Hill and Church.

Right now, city sanitation workers are finding it impossible to maneuver garbage trucks along that portion of Vine, he said. They have to park at Hill or Church, walk down the street to pick up the garbage, then carry it back to the truck.

Whitwell said the problem stems from the width of the roadway. It is less than 19 feet wide in some spots. Having vehicles parked along both sides of the street further complicates the matter, he said.

Whitwell noted as well that if sanitation trucks can not make it down the street, it stands to reason that emergency response vehicles likely would not be able to drive down the road either.

Council members are looking at restricting parking to the west side of the street. If the section of Vine between Hill and Church is made one way, traffic likely would be directed from Hill toward Church, he said.

Whitwell said widening Vine between Hill and Church is not an option due to the grade on both sides of the road. The segment that extends from Hill to Vine is roughly 600 feet long.

The city has not received any complaints on this issue from those who live along the stretch, he said. Staff members from the city’s Community Development Department are scheduled to go out and seek input from residents.

Park Hills officials may limit parking on a portion of Vine Street to one side of the road and make the segment one way.

Park Hills garbage trucks have been unable to drive down Vine Street between Hill and Church streets due to the narrowness of the road and the vehicles parked along both sides of the street.

Portions of Vine Street between Hill and Church streets measure just 19 feet wide.

Clementine Carbery is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-518-3616 or ccarbery@dailyjournalonline.com