Meeting Between St. Anne's Hill Residents, ODOT and Clayton Luckie, State Representative
June 18, 2007
Participants: Rep Clayton Luckie, ODOT engineer David Ley, other ODOT officials and City of Dayton engineers (Kerry Lawson), many St. Anne's Hill Neighbors, DDN and WDTN
Immediate concerns:
1. Plant full size evergreen trees to replace those destroyed by ODOT along the off-ramp.
2. Reseed area between sidewalk and Keowee Street from off-ramp north.
3. Reseed area torn up by the introduction of new light pole at the pocket park at McLain & Josie
4. Move the off-ramp sign to the other side of the ramp so trees can be replanted in that area.
5. Replace fence at the McClure St Bridge.
6. Remove aggregate left at McClure and Josie at the bridge.
7. Reseed the corners at the McClure St Bridge.
8. Replant the traffic island at McClure & Josie Streets & replace limestone blocks.
9. ODOT officials committed to being responsive to neighbor requests re dust
10. Commitment to follow up as soon as two weeks.
Long Term items discussed:
Determine who conducts sounds studies and investigate the feasibility of sound wall barriers.
Supply information on possible EPA hazards created by construction and how to correct those hazards.
Designate the off ramp along Josie Street a wild flower area.
2 comments:
Once again, DDN gets it wrong!
1. The word decimated was never used by anyone from St. Anne's.
2. Our main concern is the fact that we were told two years ago, by ODOT, that the exit ramp would be no closer to the neighborhood and that no large trees would be removed. Both promises were broken. There is a very real safety issue at stake here. Not only did the large trees help to block the visual and the dust of SR 35 they also served as barriers when someone came barreling off the freeway toward our neighborhood. Without those trees our only protection is a chain link fence. The Josie Greenway (as we call it) was planted and maintained by our neighborhood association and volunteers. Many dollars were spent by us to create this natural barrier between St. Anne's and the highway.
3. SAH residents began voicing concern to local, state and federal representatives upon seeing the surveyors poles into the large trees along SR 35 at the beginning of the project.
4. No one ever said as a historic district we deserved to be treated better.
5. The number of neighbors at the meeting was more like 30, not a dozen.
6. ODOT representatives never said "trees will be planted as sound barriers as construction moves forward." They said they would research it. We got no answers to our questions and no resolution to the problem.
7. Other items of importance talked about last night, but not even touched upon by the DDN, are the following:
a. Areas deemed "complete" along the Keowee Street exit onto Northbound Keowee Street and the areas around the McClure Street Bridge look atrocious. No leveling has been done or grass seeding. There are huge holes in the ground, globs of asphalt, hunks of concrete and torn fences still litter these "complete" areas.
b. The construction crews do not think it is important, even though it is a federal law, to wet the dirt where they are working to cut down on dust. We have many elderly people in St. Anne's Hill, some on oxygen, who are suffering greatly from this. Numerous phone calls have been made but so far no one has enforced this law.
c. ODOT has stuck a huge sign almost at the end of the Keowee Street off ramp that is inches from the chain link fence on Josie Street. All trees have been removed to ensure visibility of this sign. By the time traffic sees this sign directing them as to which way to turn for a hospital, Keowee St or Fifth Third Field, they are already at the end of the ramp. We requested that sign be moved to the other side of the offramp and further back so people exiting SR 35 can see it.
By Denny in Dayton
June 19, 2007 2:27 PM | Link to this
I don’t understand the mindset of ODOT in tree removal. I know they have to keep a certain clear distance in areas for safety, but at the end of the ramp? It would seem to me it would make sense for our highways to have more trees and greenery to reduce noise, cut down pollution and aid in water and soil conservation. Instead they plant grass which has to be constantly mowed at taxpayers expense! In the case of US35 the State pays the City of Dayton to do it…maybe we now have our answer!
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