As part of discussions about parking on Maple Street, Plain City Village Administrator Nathan Cahall created a series of drawings, showing how parking blocks the sight lines for drivers entering or crossing Maple Street.
(Photo submitted)
After months of discussion, Plain City Council has decided against adding on-street parking to Maple Street.
The topic was brought up in the past several village council meetings, both by local business owners and residents.
Following the completion of construction on Maple Street, on-street parking was eliminated because the roadway was not wide enough to accommodate for it and two-way traffic.
This explanation was opposed by residents who claimed the road width had not changed and parking had been allowed there before.
Village Administrator Nathan Cahall agreed, but said parking on the street would be unsafe given the current width.
“The road hasn’t gotten any fatter or skinnier, it is what it is,” he said.
In an attempt to compromise, council considered making Maple and Gay streets one-way to allow space for on-street parking.
But, even if this solution was agreed upon, Cahall said there would not be parking near Main Street as it would create liability issues for the village.
“To allow for on-street parking, council would knowingly have to violate safety and design guidelines,” Cahall said.
He said parked vehicles in that area would obstruct the “intersection sight distance requirement” for a 25 MPH area.
“If I’m trying to play Frogger and decide if I should cross, I should have 150 feet in both directions,” Cahall said.
Beyond that, he said most residents have expressed a desire to keep traffic flow in both directions on Maple Street.
He said he has received feedback from seven residents, including some commercial property owners, and all but one are against making the street one-way.
Council members have considered options to appease all parties involved, but Mayor Darrin Lane encouraged them to find a solution sooner rather than later.
“Council needs to make a decision one way or the other and everyone’s going to have to deal with it,” Mayor Darrin Lane said.
Given resident feedback and safety guidelines, council decided to keep the street as is, with two-way traffic and no on-street parking.
Moving forward, Lane said he will work with local business owners, namely Dr. Richard Shugert and Jennifer Shugert, who own the Plain City Chiropractic Office on Maple Street, to find other parking options.
“I don’t want to hamper business at all,” Lane said. “I think there are options for the chiropractor.”