The city of Lexington is changing its plans regarding the accessibility of Lime Kiln Bridge Park during the planned construction of the bridge on Lime Kiln Road and the Jackson Avenue water, sewer and stormwater replacement projects, leaving the park partially open for some of the duration of the projects.
Lexington City Manager Tom Carroll updated Council on the change in plan during his report at the Aug. 6 City Council meeting.
The original plan was to close the park entirely and remove the older equipment there to use the park as a staging area for the bridge construction project.
The new plan is to stage the materials for the project elsewhere and base the determination of the park’s closure on safety considerations rather than making it a permanent restriction. He also noted that, while the park would make a safer and less disruptive lay-down area for the construction equipment, it was not a requirement and the contractor would make a final determination on the location for that area.
The park will still need to be completely closed for one phase of the Jackson Avenue utility project, but once that phase is complete, the park with the remaining equipment will be reopened. Additionally, a portion of the park will be dedicated as temporary parking for the law firm of Spencer & Taylor, which is located on Lime Kiln Road opposite the park as the work on the bridge will impact the parking in front of their office.
Council member Leslie Straughan noted that there are two playgrounds in close proximity to the Lime Kiln Bridge Park – the playground at Waddell Elementary School and Fairwinds Park – which have safer and more modern equipment for children to play on.
She also expressed concerns about having the lay-down area in another location having the consequence of increasing construction traffic through the surrounding neighborhoods. It was also noted in Council’s discussion that there is a plan to replace the equipment at Lime Kiln Bridge Park after these construction projects are completed.
“I appreciate you trying to accommodate some of the folks who are concerned about it, but I honestly don’t think it’s in the best interest of our kids to do it that way,” Straughan said. “I think the original plan might have been a little surprising, but I think it’s the safest option. And for the overall neighborhood, it will work out better having the lay-down yard closer to the construction. … I think we’re going to a lot of effort to save some equipment we’re going to replace anyway.”
Interim Mayor David Sigler noted that whether the lay-down area is at the park or some other location, there will be an impact on the neighborhood while construction is going on, adding that other areas of the city have already been impacted by similar projects over the past several years. He and other Council members also noted that the work is necessary and important to improve the city’s infrastructure.
“We might have to take the heat now for comments that we may not feel are very comfortable to take, but we need to keep in mind that the final product will be something that everybody can be proud of,” Vice Mayor Marylin Alexander said.
